Innovative Laboratory Research Articles

Tab the lab: A typology of public sector innovation labs

Many public sector organizations set up innovation laboratories in response to the pressure to tackle societal problems and the high expectations placed on them to innovate public services. Our understanding of the public sector innovation laboratories’ role in enhancing the innovation capacity of administrations is still limited. It is challenging to assess or compare the impact of innovation laboratories because of how they operate and what they do. This paper closes this research gap by offering a typology that organizes the diverse nature of innovation labs and makes it possible to compare various lab settings. The proposed typology gives possible relevant factors to increase the innovation capacity of public organizations. The findings are based on a literature review of primarily explorative papers and case studies, which made it possible to identify the relevant criteria. The proposed typology covers three dimensions: (1) value (intended innovation impact of the labs); (2) governance (role of government and financing model); and (3) network (stakeholders in the collaborative arrangements). Comparing European countries and regions with regards to the repartition of labs shows that Nordic and British countries tend to have broader scope than continental European countries. Points for practitioners Public sector innovation (PSI) labs can help to approach innovation collaboratively across organizational boundaries. It is, however, necessary in this context to find the setup that best addresses an organization's needs or strategic ambitions. The proposed typology is based on criteria relevant for designing PSI labs. Being able to distinguish the different labs helps practitioners to choose models that fit their purposes and learn from existing labs.

A laboratory nondestructive instrument for joint X-ray diffraction and fluorescence measurements of material in a vial

This paper presents an innovative laboratory instrument equipped with high-energy tungsten target X-ray source and a cadmium telluride (CdTe) detector, designed to perform simultaneous X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses of materials in vials. By using the instrument we successfully captured fluorescence signals from cerium (Ce), erbium (Er), tungsten (W), and bismuth (Bi) in samples housed in vials made of 6061 aluminum (1 mm thick), 304 stainless steel (0.5 mm thick), and brass (0.5 mm thick). In addition, XRD signals from cerium oxide (CeO2) and bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) powders were captured in glass (0.5 mm thick) and 6061 aluminum (1 mm thick) vials. The experiment results reveal that the fluorescence signal also appears in the XRD patterns. The fluorescence analysis enriches the diffraction analysis by offering complementary insights that enhance the information of the overall material characterization. This instrument greatly improves inspection efficiency and enriches inspection information by performing diffraction and fluorescence measurements simultaneously.

Public health innovation labs framework development: a design study of GGD West-Brabant Netherlands

Abstract Introduction Innovation Labs are spaces that encourage the creation, development and testing of novel ideas within organizations.While there are known frameworks for the organization of such labs in the private sector, current literature does not reflect a framework for developing a public health Innovation Lab (PHI-Lab) specifically.The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based framework for a PHI-Lab together with the Dutch Municipal Health Service(GGD). Methods Our design thinking study consisted of 4 phases: Discovering, Defining, Creating and Evaluating.An initial framework was developed based on the public and public health sectors in the literature.To create and evaluate the framework,a document analysis of the GGD was performed,and co-creation and testing sessions were organized with 11 internal and 11 external stakeholders of the GGD. Results The final PHI-Lab framework is composed of: rationale, enablers and barriers, environment, approach, outcomes and values. Findings emphasized practical reasons for investing in a PHI-Lab, such as the shortage of health professionals.Stakeholders highlighted that proactive leadership and innovation culture are crucial enablers for the setup of the PHI-Lab.The right space and human resources (environment) and methods including design thinking and cross-collaboration (approach) were highlighted as important strategies for overcoming innovation challenges.Despite barriers such as bureaucracy and resource limitations, tailoring solutions to organizational objectives is key to the PHI-Lab’s success and sustainability, with added values of inclusiveness, adaptability and fun. Conclusions This study highlighted some practical additions to the initial framework that are specific to the public health setting, although mostly an adaptation from the public sector.Findings emphasize that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to develop a PHI-Lab.This framework has the intention of benefiting other public health organizations. Key messages • The framework has the intention of benefiting other public health organizations within established networks and partnerships. • Proactive leadership and innovation culture are crucial enablers for the organizational setup of the innovation lab.

Technology adoption at scale: the success of USAID’s agriculture diversification project in Malawi

Abstract Dr. Fenton Sands, USAID’s new contract representative, faced some challenges. His office, USAID-Malawi over many years showed great commitment to the country, yet there seemed to be insufficient progress in poverty reduction, agricultural yield improvement, and smallholder farmer incomes. Now in 2017, the mission managed 25 different multimillion-dollar projects that touched on agriculture, the economy, resilience, gender, and nutrition, with little sustainability evident. Dr. Sands’ task was twofold, specifically, how to depart from past practice and actually achieve sustainable impact at scale here in Malawi, as he launched the new $60m Ag Div activity and more generally, if successful, how should USAID scale the success across the region. This case study provides unique insights into how Dr. Sands and his team jettisoned traditional development approaches and builds sustainable economic impact at scale through a novel private sector platform. USAID Malawi’s brave new venture successfully leveraged university research via the Soybean Innovation Lab to assure sound science and evidenced based decision making. Dr. Sand’s novel approach, presented here as a teaching case study, provides an explicit pathway for development officers, university researchers, program implementers, and leaders in the donor community to build sustainable impact in partnership with the private sector.

Innovation platforms in practice: a conceptual framework

ABSTRACT The agricultural innovation systems (AIS) approach holds promise for researchers seeking to gain deeper understanding of how actors, norms, and knowledge interact and drive improvements in the agricultural sector in developing countries. However, use of the AIS framework in empirical research is limited and conceptual and operational frameworks are needed. In this paper we have created a conceptual framework for how innovation platforms (IPs), a unique type of multistakeholder meetings, contribute to the AIS approach by fostering innovation, networking, and performance. The conceptual framework is then applied to a case study of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems (LSIL). Findings from the case study analysis showed the meetings fostered innovative thinking, strengthened networks, and shared knowledge among actors. While the generalisability of the case is limited, the study demonstrates how future research could use the conceptual framework for advancing knowledge around AIS and IP meetings.

Laying the Groundwork: Insights from Organisational Ethics for Humanitarian Innovation

Humanitarian innovation is occurring in a wide range of organisational contexts, from innovation labs and hubs, to specialised units within humanitarian organisations, to small social innovation startups and through intersectoral partnerships. Ethical considerations associated with innovation activities have been the source of increased discussion, including critiques around inclusion in the definition of problems, imposition of solutions, introduction of new risks for people in crisis situations and potential for exploitation. To promote ethical innovation, various initiatives have sought to articulate guiding values and to create resources and frameworks to integrate values in project design and implementation. A distinctive yet complementary line of ethical analysis is offered by the approach of positive organisational ethics, which considers the features of organisations that promote and sustain conditions supportive of ethical action. In this paper we examine three dimensions of an organisation’s ethical infrastructure: the resources that are established, such as policies and statements of organisational values; the practices that are enacted, such as methods of onboarding new staff; and the capacities that are fostered and accessed, including ethics knowledge and skills. Attention to these features constitutes an important means of laying the groundwork for organisational conditions that are supportive of ethical humanitarian innovation.

‘I’d Give My Right Arm to Be Ambidextrous’: Exploration Unit Managers Facing Competing Demands for Differentiation and Integration

This paper examines how managers of internal exploration units – also labeled as innovation labs – address the competing demands of differentiation and integration over time, and the implications for their unit’s ability to execute its intended exploration strategy. Based on a longitudinal study of four exploration units implemented by established firms, we find that their managers face two types of undocumented paradoxical tensions: one related to the evolution of the mandated charter and the other related to the implementation of the performance management system. In response, we show that exploration unit managers adopt four balancing patterns to face these paradoxical tensions: decoupling, conforming, promoting, and synchronizing. These patterns consist of specific combinations of differentiating and/or integrating practices. Drawing on paradox research, we show how each pattern facilitates or impedes the pursuit of the unit’s intended exploration strategy. Our research contributes to the development of a more integrative and systemic understanding of the locus of structural ambidexterity and how it is pursued in practice, and to current debates about the different types of responses adopted when faced with paradoxes. Finally, we provide managerial insights into the management of exploration units and innovation labs within established firms.

Competing narratives inhibit a circular economy for bio‐based plastic packaging: Insights from a social innovation lab study in Brazil, Canada, Poland and the UK

AbstractBusinesses are turning to bio‐based, compostable plastic packaging as a circular economy solution to global plastic pollution. However, there is a lack of proper waste management systems for collection and processing. Through an international research initiative, a social innovation lab was undertaken in Brazil, Canada, Poland and the United Kingdom to understand and address key barriers in closing the bio‐based plastic packaging loop. Based upon a qualitative data set of 100 stakeholder interviews and three phases of workshop activities in each country, a grounded model was generated to illustrate how competing views and actions are inhibiting a circular system for bio‐based plastic packaging. Key issues were the lack of end‐of‐life processing infrastructure, contamination in processing facilities and absent or ineffective regulation. A systemic approach that includes shared responsibility for infrastructure, simplified packaging design and materials and equitable regulation to reduce susceptibility to greenwashing can improve collaboration to meet circular goals.

Systematic Layout Planning and Analytical Hierarchy Process for Laboratory Layout Optimization: A Case Study of DESPRIN

The Product Design and Innovation Laboratory (DESPRIN) at Del Institute of Technology plays a crucial role in supporting innovation. Yet, its current layout struggles to meet its users' diverse and evolving needs. This study addresses the problem of inadequate spatial configuration, which hampers workflow efficiency, ergonomics, and the lab's overall capacity to accommodate various activities. To resolve this issue, a flexible layout is designed using the Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) method, emphasizing optimizing space utilization, workflow, and spatial adaptability. Data collected from literature reviews, interviews, statistical analyses, and anthropometric measurements inform the design process to enhance the lab’s quality and spatial efficiency. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is employed to prioritize key layout design factors, identifying capacity as the most critical element (0.4930), followed by facilities (0.1688), accessibility (0.1414), security (0.1270), and environment (0.0708). The study results in 13 new layout configurations that can accommodate various activities within DESPRIN, providing a more dynamic and responsive user environment.

How SATURN is studying the impact of ship noise on the behaviour, health, energetics, and populations of aquatic organisms

The EU-funded SATURN project contributes to improve our understanding of the effects of ship noise on aquatic animals through several studies. Assessing the effects of underwater noise on aquatic animals is complex due to the diversity of taxa involved, each with their own sound sensitivity in terms of spectral and temporal aspects, as well as behavioural and physiological sensitivity to acoustic disturbances. To conduct exposure experiments on fish and invertebrates that are sensitive to the particle motion component of sound, we have developed innovative laboratory setups. Invertebrates are studied in an AQUAVIB exposure chamber, while migratory fish species are studied in a MIGRADOME swimming tunnel. The project also focuses on three marine mammal species: porpoises, pilot whales, and harbour seals. These species provide broad biological coverage of acoustic specialisations and relevant European habitats. Field data were collected using tags deployed on wild animals and dose-response relationships of marine mammal behaviour and energetics were established as a function of real-world exposure to ship noise. The effects on porpoise population are assessed using the updated DEPONS model. The results of SATURN will be transferred to stakeholders to inform management actions for the mitigation of the effects of acoustic pollution in marine habitats.

Socioeconomic Drivers of Food Insecurity Among Rural Households: Evidence from Participating Farmers in the Integrated Rice-Fish System in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Nigeria has been facing a food crisis problem, with most of the poor population having limited access to adequate quantity and quality food. Food security reflects the stability of food supply, availability of, and access to food, and affects the amount of food consumed, which has implications for the population’s health. Thus, this study examined the socio-economic drivers of food security among smallholder rice farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Primary data was collected under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish (Integrated rice-fish farming system) funded by USAID through a three-stage sampling technique. Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) and the Endogenous Switching Regression model were applied in the data analysis. The mean per capita household food expenditure is N 2,456.42, and the food security line is N 1,026.43. The food security measure shows that 46.67 percent of the households experience the incidence of food insecurity, 24.6 percent point is the food insecurity depth, and 17.2 percent point is the severity of food insecurity. The ESR model shows that the drivers of food security are access to credit, marital status, farming experience, primary occupation, education, and farm size. The study proposed implementing more developmental programmes that focus on poverty alleviation, which should be gender inclusive with an option of credit support to the rice farmers.

Development of innovations for neighborhood care-Contribution of social innovation laboratories

The article demonstrates the contributions of the innovation program "D-Care Lab Baden-Württemberg 2023" to the development of innovative solutions for neighborhood care. The effects of the program are reconstructed on the basis of initial research findings pertaining to the innovation program. Adistinctive aspect of the laboratory is its cross-sectoral collaborative structure. The levels of impact can be defined as follows: the acquisition of skills by the participants, the connection between skills acquisition and learning arrangement, the changes observed as aresult of participation and the innovative solutions developed for care in the neighborhood. The initial results are presented in accordance with the theoretical research design and research methods previously outlined. The results demonstrate alterations in the competence profiles of the participants and the impact of the cooperative laboratory setting on the development of solutions. Based on these findings, the function of innovation programs becomes evident, thereby highlighting the necessity for mid-term to long-term impact analysis.

The digitalized ‘innovation lab’: valorizing the museum outside the museum

ABSTRACT Today museums are called to be innovation laboratories. Although value co-creation within museums is framed in the broader tangle of interactions concerning the destination, digitalization management has so far been studied almost exclusively with reference to visit experience. Furthermore, the managers’ point of view has been rather neglected despite their significant role in designing and shaping experiences. By providing a more holistic analysis, this study tries to fill these gaps and move a step forward. The research seeks to understand how digitalization strategy can succeed in fostering and coordinating multiple interactions that occur in the various museum-mediated ‘experience-environments’. The findings highlight the possibility of identifying a greater number of value-creation opportunities. In reference to recent changes in social and tourism dynamics, digitalization can no longer exclusively concern museum contents but, if appropriately managed, becomes a tool for connecting with the outside stakeholders and exploiting the potential present in the destination.

Cloud computing and spatial hydrology for monitoring the Buyo and Kossou reservoirs in Côte d'Ivoire

The Buyo and Kossou reservoirs are crucial for water supply, agricultural irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation in Côte d'Ivoire. However, climate change threatens the stability and availability of these water resources by increasing rainfall variability, extending drought periods, and intensifying extreme weather events. These challenges underscore the need for precise and continuous monitoring of water levels and surface areas to ensure sustainable management. Due to the scarcity of gauging stations, the objective of this study is to leverage cloud computing technologies along with altimetric and satellite data, for effective reservoir monitoring. Tools like the EO-Africa program's Innovation Lab and Google Earth Engine (GEE), along with advanced image processing software such as PyGEE-SWToolbox and AlTis, were used to process large datasets from the Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-3 satellites. These satellites delivered extensive, high-resolution imagery and altimetric data, crucial for monitoring changes in the reservoirs. The processed data were validated with in-situ measurements, yielding a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of less than 0.4 m and a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.90. The results highlighted water surface and level changes from 2016 to 2022, with downward trends and seasonal variations closely aligning with in-situ measurements. The study also revealed that the relationship between water levels and surface areas is influenced by both precipitation and the hydrological regimes of the Bandama and Sassandra rivers, demonstrating the complexity of water dynamics in these reservoirs. This research emphasizes the effectiveness of integrating spatial hydrology with cloud computing tools for fast and accurate monitoring of large reservoir. The use of these advanced technologies provides near real-time, reliable, and easily accessible data, offering a significant advantage for water resource management in Côte d'Ivoire.

The AI-shift: how Europol is leveraging artificial intelligence to combat serious organised crime and terrorism

Aim: The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in law enforcement to combat serious organised crime and terrorism, while ensuring responsible and accountable use of AI tools through collaboration and knowledge-sharing among European law enforcement agencies. Methodology: The study uses a descriptive methodology to describe the development and cooperation process through which the Innovation Lab contributes to the innovation development and knowledge sharing of Europol and its member countries. Findings: With the increasing volume and speed of investigative data, AI has emerged as a promising solution to help law enforcement agencies process and analyse large and complex datasets. Europol has been at the forefront of developing and sharing AI tools with its Member States, ensuring their responsible and accountable use. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in law enforcement investigations has been found to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of crime fighting, particularly in processing and analysing large and complex datasets. Value: The article highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing among law enforcement agencies to keep pace with AI advancements and prevent criminal abuse of these technologies.

Renovating Traditional Craft

This review article evaluates theories and on the entanglement of matter and meaning, elaborating and exploring the potential outcomes of craft in research processes. Exemplified through a collaborative exploration between me as a silversmith and programmers at the Mechatronic Innovation Lab (MIL) in Grimstad, Norway, I explore, through these theories, how renovation work served as a diffraction apparatus in exploring the relation between traditional craft and emerging mechatronic technologies in light of the concept of sustainability. Renovation work is, in this setting, understood as cutting, filing, grinding and polishing, often the final but nevertheless essential step in a production process. This type of surface work accentuates here how it is possible to not only see traditional crafts as carriers of intangible value linked to identity but also as a type of knowledge powerful of providing insights into the entanglement of matter and meaning. Through uniting different knowledge systems, like the subjective knowledge in the situated understanding of material, tools, setting and processes, and more objective knowledge, typically for observation, readings and purely cognitive activities, renovation work exposed, in this case, some of the limitations of automation and provided unexpected findings on the relationship between body and machine.

Az MI-fordulat: hogyan használja fel az Europol a mesterséges intelligenciát a súlyos szervezett bűnözés és a terrorizmus elleni küzdelemben

Aim: The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in law enforcement to combat serious organised crime and terrorism, while ensuring responsible and accountable use of AI tools through collaboration and knowledge-sharing among European law enforcement agencies. Methodology: The study uses a descriptive methodology to describe the development and cooperation process through which the Innovation Lab contributes to the innovation development and knowledge sharing of Europol and its member countries. Findings: With the increasing volume and speed of investigative data, AI has emerged as a promising solution to help law enforcement agencies process and analyse large and complex datasets. Europol has been at the forefront of developing and sharing AI tools with its Member States, ensuring their responsible and accountable use. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in law enforcement investigations has been found to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of crime fighting, particularly in processing and analysing large and complex datasets. Value: The article highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing among law enforcement agencies to keep pace with AI advancements and prevent criminal abuse of these technologies.

Driving digital transformation and business model innovation in tourism through innovation labs: An empirical study

In the rapidly changing digital landscape, Innovation Labs have become pivotal agents of transformation, yet their application in tourism remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap through multiple case studies and an action research project focused on tourism. The findings reveal that Innovation Labs significantly boost digital innovation capacity, digital transformation, and business model innovation within tourism organizations. The proposed management framework offers practical guidance for effective implementation, emphasizing their potential to democratize technology and innovation, particularly for SMEs. These conclusions underscore the role of Innovation Labs as key drivers of innovation, providing valuable insights for both academics and practitioners.

Living lab as support for co-creation of value: application to agro-biodiversity contracting solutions

ABSTRACT In addition to providing private goods such as food, fibre and biomass, agriculture can deliver a variety of environmental public goods and ecosystem services, such as biodiversity conservation, water filtering, carbon sequestration, and landscape aesthetics for recreation. Often, however, the use of agricultural landscapes prioritises the provision of private goods, resulting in negative environmental impacts. To address this imbalance in the provision of private and public goods, targeted policy instruments (e.g. contracts) are required to ensure that public goods are provided at the level desired by society. This paper, which is written in the context of the Horizon 2020 project “Contracts 2.0 – H2020 RUR-03-2018”, aims to present a Living Lab case study in Tuscany to point out possible future scenarios of contractual solutions that could provide the right incentives for farmers and land managers to produce a specific environmental public good such as agro-biodiversity. This paper aims to evaluate the application of Living Labs in the case study, assessing what challenges might seriously hinder the collaboration process and/or the success of the participatory approach. Thanks to the participatory approach, it was possible to finalise the “dream contract” in the Living Lab case study. Contract Innovation Labs and Policy Innovation Labs members agreed on a new type of contract based on clear and measurable objectives decided together by farmers and public authorities.

Arkema establishes UV/LED/EB technologies innovation laboratory at its Japanese Technical Center

Arkema establishes UV/LED/EB technologies innovation laboratory at its Japanese Technical Center