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Virtual Labs

MIT Square
14 min readAug 21, 2022

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Dr Mithileysh Sathiyanarayanan, Founder & CEO, MIT Square

Our teaching and learning environments have changed quite rapidly during the pandemic! With metaverse and multiverse, the future is going to be either virtual labs or virtual reality labs. This article provides a (growing) list of free virtual-based labs and simulations.

Virtual Lab: Image Source: OrasiLabs

Engineering

  • Amrita Virtual Lab: Collection of virtual labs in engineering.
  • Energy3D : A simulation-based engineering tool for designing green buildings and power stations that harness renewable energy to achieve sustainable development.
  • Flowsquare: A two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for unsteady, non-reactive/reactive flows. The aim of this software is to provide a handy CFD environment so that more people can get to know what CFD is like and simulate flows for their educational and/or academic interests.
  • GNU Radio: A free & open-source software development toolkit that provides signal processing blocks to implement software radios. It can be used with readily-available low-cost external RF hardware to create software-defined radios, or without hardware in a simulation-like environment.
  • IBM Skillsbuild: Get free courses and build your skills.
  • Java Lab: Based on JavaScript, these clever simulations are both intricate and easy to use right away. Some of the more fascinating topics investigated include Eratosthenes’ calculation of Earth’s circumference, Brownian motion, and the slingshot effect. Challenging ideas are presented with fun, interactive visuals. It is a FREE tool.
  • John Hopkins University: A virtual laboratory with engineering/science experiments.
  • LogicSim: design and simulate digital logic circuits with logic gates like AND, OR, FlipFlop, etc.
  • Open Simulation Interface: A generic interface for the environmental perception of automated driving functions in virtual scenarios.
  • Reactor Lab: A desktop app that provides simulations of a variety of chemical reactors. The Lab is useful in teaching Chemical Reaction Engineering. Students can actively learn about chemical reactions and reactors by performing experiments and analyzing data — quickly, safely, and inexpensively.
  • SimSE: An educational software engineering simulation environment whose goal is to bridge the gap between the large amount of conceptual software engineering knowledge given to students in lectures and the comparably small amount of this they actually get to put into practice in an associated “toy” software engineering project.
  • Verilator: Verilog/SystemVerilog simulator.
  • Virtual Labs: Collection of virtual labs in engineering.
  • Virtual Labs: Provides users with the result of an experiment by one of the following methods: modeling physical phenomenon through a set of equations and simulations to yield the result of a particular experiment.
  • VEX Robotics: Teach and learn coding with Virtual Robots (VR). VEXcode VR brings real-world STEM concepts to life making coding immersive, accessible, and fun. Start with Blocks and progress to Python. The patented Switch coding makes the Blocks to Text transition easy.
  • Wolfram: Collection of interactive videos in engineering.

IoT

  • IoT Lab: The IoT Lab is a research platform exploring the potential of crowdsourcing and the Internet of Things for multidisciplinary research with more end-user interactions. It gives the power to the crowd to be at the core of the research and innovation process. It gives you the power to change the world and the way we understand it.
  • Iotify: The IoT Virtual Lab provides an online workspace where you could quickly assemble your own virtual hardware, boot an operating system or build a firmware of your choice and begin programming right away. All you’ll need is a browser with an internet connection to get going.
  • IoTEDU: The hub has various IoT prototypes and brainstorming ideas. The lab consists of various IoT projects, where they used various development boards such as Arduino, NodeMCU and Raspberry Pi. They have implemented different cloud platforms, analyzed the scalability operations of the prototypes.

Cybersecurity

Business and Entrepreneurship

  • AnyLogistix: Learn business-related topics.
  • Hubro Education: Business management, project management, strategy management, marketing, finance, and many more topics are covered.

Life Sciences

  • Avida-ED: Allows students to design and perform experiments to test hypotheses about evolutionary mechanisms using evolving digital organisms.
  • Biology Simulations: Simulations to help students learn about biology and practice data analysis skills.
  • Bioman Biology: BioMan Biology is a fun place to learn Biology! Here you will find learning games, review games, virtual labs and quizzes that will help you to learn about cells, ecology, genetics, physiology, and much more. It is a FREE tool.
  • Build Your Own Brain (BYOB): An online game that lets the user build a simple network of neurons and see how they might function.
  • Case It!: Molecular biology simulations for case-based learning in biology.
  • DNA from the Beginning: An animated primer of 75 experiments that made modern genetics.
  • eSkeletons: Provides an interactive environment in which to examine and learn about skeletal anatomy.
  • Evo Ed: Case studies in evolution that track the development of traits from their origination in DNA mutation, to the production of different proteins, to the fixation of alternate macroscopic phenotypes in reproductively isolated populations.
  • Gelbox: Open source interactive simulation tool for gel electrophorisis.
  • General Microbiology Labs: Labs and lectures on microbiology from the University of Wyoming.
  • Geniventure: Students level up as they select alleles to control phenotypes, make predictions from genotypes, use meiosis to create gametes, and study inheritance by breeding baby drakes.
  • HHMI BioInteractive: Labs, interactive media, and videos. Also offers iOS apps.
  • Learn.Genetics: Offers online lessons in genetics, cell biology, evolution, human health, plant biology, neuroscience, and ecology. Also offers interactive genetics labs.
  • NAVS Online Dissection Resources: Curated list of virtual dissection labs and simulations from the National Anti-Vivisection Society.
  • NCEP Resources for Conservation Educators and Practitioners: Open access, electronic resources for conservation educators and trainers. They include diverse topics in conservation science and are designed for the post-secondary level.
  • Neuroscience in the time of Corona: Crowd-sourced compendium of resources for teaching neuroscience.
  • Nursing Assistant Resources: Virtual Dissection: Virtual dissection labs for studying human and animal anatomy and physiology.
  • Optical Microscopy Primer: Virtual microscopes that offer lessons in specimen focus, illumination intensity, magnification, and translation.
  • QUBES: Virtual labs and simulations for teaching quantitative biology.
  • Science Bank Online Dissection Resources: Virtual dissection resources.
  • StarGenetics: Mendelian genetics cross simulator. Allows students to simulate mating experiments between organisms that are genetically different across a range of traits to analyze the nature of the traits in question.
  • Virtual Fetal Pig Dissection: Supplement to laboratory dissections exploring introductory mammalian anatomy and physiology.
  • Whole Frog Project: Provides the ability to explore the anatomy of a frog by using data from high-resolution MRI imaging and mechanical sectioning, together with 3D surface and volume rendering software.
  • FlyLab JS: It is just plain fun — and perfect for beginning and advanced genetic students. Select your flies’ attributes — eye color, wing size and shape, antennae — and predict the offspring that will result from mating. Then cross the flies to test your knowledge. Export analysis and lab notes easily too.
  • Virtual Biology Lab: Developed by the East Tennessee State University is a Great collection of higher-level free online biology labs covering ecology, evolution, and cell biology. Each experiment is available in both java and HTML5 — choose HTML5 as java is no longer supported by most browsers. Users will enjoy changing parameters and observing the effects on honeybee foraging, male guppies’ tail spots, or plant biodiversity. Perhaps most important in today’s world: is modeling and understanding the “tragedy of the commons” phenomenon. It is a FREE tool.
  • Life Science Virtual Lab: New Mexico State University Virtual Lab has eight virtual labs that cover basic food science lab techniques and are similar to real-world labs high schoolers or college freshmen would perform. They may not seem glamorous — but our food safety depends on these unheralded-yet-essential tests. It is a FREE tool.
  • Zooniverse: The platform is designed to facilitate students and teachers with no specialized training to participate in real-world research. Current projects run the gamut from the arts to biology to social science; in all, 79 active projects span 11 disciplines. The education guide provides examples and resources for teachers interested in using this powerful research tool in their classrooms. Classrooms can even create their own projects by uploading data to the Zooniverse. Android and iOS Android apps are also available. It is a FREE tool.
  • Ecoocean: EcoOcean is a unique online fishing simulator that aims to bring awareness to the global overfishing crisis while engaging users in a challenging sustainable fishing experiment. Easy to play and slightly addictive. Be sure to save your high score! It is a FREE tool.

Medicine and Health Sciences

Physical Sciences and Mathematics

  • Algodoo: Gives users the opportunity to play with physics. Use your own hands and simple drawing tools to design, construct and explore the world of physics.
  • Astro Simulations: Online implementation of several NAAP simulations from the Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning.
  • Chem1 Virtual Textbook: Reference text for general chemistry.
  • CheMagic: Provides a virtual model kit, chemistry demonstration videos, and liberal arts chemistry essays.
  • ChemCollective: A collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials, and concept tests. It is a FREE tool.
  • Chemix: Chemix is an online editor for drawing science lab diagrams and school experiment apparatus. The app provides easy sketching for both students and teachers.
  • ChemReaX: A chemical reaction modeling and simulation app.
  • ChemSims: Simulations from the National Science Foundation covering solubility, kinetics, atomic interactions, gas laws, equilibrium, acid base, photoelectric effect, and atomic emissions.
  • Digital Lab Techniques Manual: A series of videos designed to help users prepare for chemistry laboratory class.
  • GEAS Project Astronomy Laboratory Exercises: Online exercises designed for distance learning. Includes archive of images and spectra as well as video tutorials.
  • goREACT: Create virtual chemical reactions.
  • The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science: Environmental Science online course text and a coordinated website which includes streamed video programs, five interactive simulations, background on the scientists who created the content and those whose research is documented, a professional development guide, and additional resources.
  • HTML5 Physics Simulations: Manipulate systems and experiment with climate change, motion, forces, gravity, momentum, energy, and rotation.
  • Jules Verne Voyager, Jr.: An interactive map developed by UNAVCO where users can add earthquakes, stress axes, volcanoes, or plate boundaries to the entire world or by country.
  • Mixed Reception: Students use molar mass calculations, the scientific method, and basic knowledge of chemical reactions to solve a murder mystery. Students interview suspects and gathers evidence as they solve the case.
  • NC State Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Teaching Laboratories — S.M.A.R.T. Lab Videos: Student-created videos teaching introductory organic chemistry lab techniques.
  • Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project: Simulations of a wide range of astronomical phenomena, organized into units of related simulations with readings.
  • Nuclear Reimagined Virtual Field Trip: Journey to the leading nuclear research facility in the country, Idaho National Laboratory. Step inside a nuclear reactor, explore unexpected careers in nuclear science, and see what the future may hold thanks to advances in nuclear capabilities.
  • Online Resources for Organic Chemistry: List of URLs to online animations, videos, simulations, & demos compiled by the chem ed and biochem ed communities.
  • Open Source Physics: Provides curriculum resources that engage students in physics, computation, and computer modeling. Computational physics and computer modeling provide students with new ways to understand, describe, explain, and predict physical phenomena.
  • oPhysics: A collection of interactive physics simulations.
  • Physical Geology 101 Lab Study Material: A handful of virtual labs with fillable worksheets and lab reports.
  • The Physics Aviary: Cross-platform, run-anywhere, programs to help physics students around the world master the big ideas in physics.
  • The Physics Classroom: Physics simulations, tutorials, and concept builders.
  • Physics Simulations: Interactive physics simulations.
  • PlanetMaker: Allows users to create and tweak their own planet using image textures and lighting.
  • Royal Society of Chemistry Education Resources: Resources to help teach chemistry for primary, secondary, and higher education.
  • Scilab: Open source software for numerical computation.
  • SDSS Skyserver Projects: Activities to examine many topics in astronomy including H-R diagrams, spectroscopies, galaxy classification, Hubble’s Law, and more.
  • Teaching Geoscience Online: Geoscience lab activities.
  • Tutorial Materials and Resources by Professor Gary L. Bertrand: List of simulated experiments, self-tests, and tutorials.
  • Virtual Chemistry Experiments: A collection of interactive web-based chemistry tutorials.
  • Virtual Microscope: Allows users to examine and explore minerals and microscopic features of rocks, helping them to develop classification and identification skills without the need for high-cost microscopes and thin section preparation facilities.
  • Line Rider: Awesome physics simulation/game/lab experiment. Draw the line to maximize the toboggan rider’s trip time. When you master that, add one or two more riders. Export your best efforts as a movie for bragging rights! Also available as an Android (opens in new tab)or iOs(opens in new tab) app.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

  • AnyLogic: Simulation software that combines discrete event, system dynamics, and agent-based simulation methods so you can model any real-world system or process.
  • iCivics: Designed to engage students in meaningful civic learning. Provides teachers with well-written, inventive, and free resources.
  • APA Online Psychology Laboratory: Offers interactive demonstrations and experiments as well as sample datasets.

Multi-Disciplinary

  • OLabs: The OLabs have the content aligned with NCERT or CBSE textbooks and State Board syllabus up to senior-secondary level, including Biology Class 12 and Biology Class 11. Schools can access the OLabs for free after registration. The Olabs is funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It is a FREE tool.
  • PhET: The Physics Education Technology (PhET) is an interactive simulations project was founded by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman in 2002 at the University of Colorado Boulder. It creates interactive science and maths free simulation. The simulations are based on extensive research that is helpful to engage students through a game-like environment where students explore, discover and learn. The PhET has delivered over 1.1 billion simulations yet. This virtual lab has 103 language translations and 3122 teachers’ submitted lessons and investigated around 159 topics of physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math and Earth Science that are accessible by subject, and grade level. It is a FREE tool.
  • LabXchange: Curates and creates world-class digital labs, delivered on a free, online platform that lets you integrate your learning and research experiences. This was developed by Harvard. It is a FREE tool.
  • PraxiLabs: It provides an interactive and immersive 3D simulation of a realistic lab for students to enhance students learning, understanding, and knowledge with the virtual hands-on experience. PraxiLabs provide study aids in different formats and assessment for better understanding and the feedback given by famous lab partner to guide the students for enriched experiences. Content is available in two languages: Arabic and English. A wide range of topics from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are available that can be accessed by students from their devices anywhere, anytime. PraxiLabs offers an interactive user-friendly interface to enhance the learning experience. It is a FREE tool.
  • 3M Young Scientist Lab: Easy-to-use collection of five virtual labs encourages kids to explore science in the everyday world. The labs, covering energy, electricity, design, innovation, and science history, are well organized and fun. It is a FREE tool.
  • Concord Consortium: An extensive collection of interactive STEM resources, searchable by grade level, activity type, and STEM topic. Each activity offers a preview and the ability to assign and/or share with students. By creating a free account, teachers can easily track student work and create assignments. It is a FREE tool.
  • CK-12: Multidisciplinary open-source content and technology tools to help teachers provide learning for students.
  • Data Nuggets: Provides details of authentic science research projects and activities for the practice of looking for patterns and developing explanations about natural phenomena.
  • eduMedia: Interactive resources for science learning.
  • Gendered Innovations Case Studies: Case studies demonstrate how methods of sex and gender analysis function to create gendered innovations in science, health, medicine, engineering, and the environment.
  • Investigative Case-Based Learning: Investigative cases draw from realistic situations in which scientific reasoning can be applied. Although the case defines a general area of science under investigation, students generate specific questions to guide their study.
  • JoVE: Journal of Visual Experiments: JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, is the world’s first peer-reviewed scientific video journal. By allowing scientists, educators, and students to see the intricate details of cutting-edge experiments rather than read them in text articles, JoVE increases STEM research productivity and student learning, saving their institutions time and money.
  • LibreTexts: Multidisciplinary online textbook platform.
  • Molecular Workbench: A modeling tool for designing and conducting computational experiments across science.
  • National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science: A collection of essays examining every aspect of the case study method and its use in the science classroom.
  • NOVA: In-depth science programming in the form of one-hour documentaries and long-form mini-series, from the latest breakthroughs in technology to the deepest mysteries of the natural world. It is a FREE tool.
  • Science Buddies: Empowers K-12 students, parents, and teachers to quickly and easily find free project ideas and help in all areas of science from physics to food science and music to microbiology.
  • WOLFRAM Demonstrations Project: Part of the family of free online resources from Wolfram. Its daily growing collection of interactive illustrations is created by participating Wolfram users from around the world.
  • Gizmos: They are multifaceted, appealing and impressive interactive tools to investigate Science and Math topics. The 36 free Gizmos investigate the Circulatory System, Hubble’s Law, And Periodic Table Trends Via Virtual Labs And Simulations. Gizmo is manipulative and targets different aspects of the topic, assessments, and guides. Gizmos also support the latest assessments and educational standards. More than 400 Science and Math gizmos give something to measure, graph and compare. Contents are aligned as per Class 3 to Class 12 for Science and Math. The STEM cases provided by Gizmos engage students in concepts, Science content and practices in-depth. Cases are real-world problems. So, when students try to solve them they go through foundation knowledge as well as through virtual guided inquiry.

Arts

Chrome Music Lab: An amazing free resource that inspires kids to create music and examine the connections between music and math, science, and art. It’s simple and fun to play around with rhythm, harmonics, chords, songwriting, and much more. It is a FREE tool.

Research Quest: Natural History Museum of Utah — Curriculum-aligned explorations of topics related to the museum’s exhibitions, such as artifact case studies, changes in the Uinta Mountain forests, and — best of all — dinosaur quarry! It is a FREE tool.

Virtual Lab Notebooks

  • JupyterLab: Project Jupyter exists to develop open-source software, open standards, and services for interactive computing across dozens of programming languages. JupyterLab is a web-based interactive development environment for Jupyter notebooks, code, and data. JupyterLab is flexible: configure and arrange the user interface to support a wide range of workflows in data science, scientific computing, and machine learning.
  • eLabFTW: A free and open source electronic lab notebook; secure, modern and compliant system to track your experiments efficiently but also manage your lab with a powerful and flexible database.
  • ELN Features Matrix: List of 30+ electronic lab notebook systems. Matrix provided by Harvard Medical School.
  • Web-based, Free and Open-Source, and Proprietary ELN software:16 various electronic lab notebook systems.

Remote Laboratories

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MIT Square
MIT Square

Written by MIT Square

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We provide service in innovation, patent filing, incubation, product development, internship and international collaboration. www.mitsquare.com

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