February 2003–January 2004
The traditional paper notebooks used in laboratories can limit the sharing of information with colleagues. Adding electronic media as a supplement to notes allows data to be more easily recorded and then accessed from a shared lab knowledge base. The laboratory environment provides an ideal place for evaluating new technologies and experimenting with revolutionary concepts of conducting research. Using Tablet PC computers equipped with Windows® XP, an electronic prototype of the laboratory notebook was developed and tested. A typical lab notebook may contain setup descriptions, experimental data, chemical formulas, and other records with high value for the laboratory. With this new approach, the best lab ideas are liberated from the page to move to the people.
“The iLabNotebook allowed us to streamline the process of scientific research, offering a multimedia environment for our scientists and students to document their work efficiently.”
—Dr. Patrick Anquetil, BioInstrumentation Laboratory
Student Participants: Patrick A. Anquetil, Andrew Taberner, Bryan Crane, Laura Proctor, Peter Madden, Rachel Zimet