The new shared suite of DigiLabs will ensure that graduates are future-fit for the world of work in which digital skills, data analytics, virtual and augmented reality play a key part, and can reap the positive benefits of artificial intelligence and machine learning to support future technologies.
Based in refurbished existing spaces, and complete with the highest quality technical equipment, the DigiLabs provide an integration space to support learning.
The University is providing an additional financial contribution so that we can ensure that the facilities can be used by all of our students.
I’m thrilled that we have secured the full amount of this funding (£5.8M) for the University. These new DIGILabs will be transformative for our teaching over the next few years and will build on our digital strategy for learning and teaching to ensure that our graduates are familiar with the latest technologies and can be inspired by new ways of learning and working.
Spaces
Loughborough University’s DigiLabs provide state-of-the-art facilities for our students with extensive modern and well-equipped laboratories for science, engineering and technology.
DigiLab East
Located in Leonard Dixon (STEMLab), DigiLab East is home to our virtual reality headsets, the Anatomage Table (permanent location), and a markerless motion capture system. The space supports immersive learning, anatomy exploration, and movement analysis, with the Anatomage Table occasionally relocated to DigiLab West for short-term events upon request and availability.
DigiLab Central
DigiLab Central will be located across two sites – EHB Squash Courts and G Block – home to the Proto Hologram, VR Lab, drones, markered motion capture, a GPU lab, and a 3D immersive wall/floor installation.
DigiLab West
Located in the West Park Teaching Hub, DigiLab West houses a broad mix of advanced technologies for teaching, research, and events. This space, WPT008, includes robots, virtual reality headsets, GPU workstations with Dual Boot Linux/Windows, and the Proto Hologram (primarily based here, though also used for events across campus).
DigiLab West also houses WPT004, which hosts the 3D Video Wall, enabling large-scale immersive 3D visualisation. Alongside this, DigiLabs West connects to facilities in STEMLab, including the FESTO CP-10 Station and the Virtual Bioreactor, as well as providing access to the Undergraduate High Performance Computing (HPC) service.
