> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://decentralabs-2.gitbook.io/decentralabs-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://decentralabs-2.gitbook.io/decentralabs-docs/readme.md).

# About DecentraLabs

**Decentralizing access to science, one lab at a time.**

Welcome to **DecentraLabs**: an open-source, community-driven initiative working to reshape how online laboratories are accessed, shared, and sustained across the globe. We leverage **blockchain**, **smart contracts**, and **open protocols** to build the future of **remote experimentation** for education, research, and innovation.

> 🧪 *"Imagine a world where anyone, anywhere, can access a real lab in seconds. We're building that world."*

***

## 🚀 What We’re Building

DecentraLabs is more than just code; it's an ecosystem.

* ⚙️ **Smart Contracts** — For decentralized lab registration, reservation, and payment.
* 🧠 **$LAB Token** — A fungible token that fuels incentives and sustainability.
* 🖥️ **Marketplace dApp** — A decentralized web application to discover and book online labs.
* 🔐 **Hybrid Authentication** — Support for both crypto wallets *and* federated institutional SSO (e.g., eduGAIN).
* 🌍 **Access Control Integration Service** — Seamlessly connect smart lab platforms to the decentralized protocol.
* 📖 **Specifications, Docs & Guides** — So anyone can contribute, replicate, or extend.

All under a **fully open-source license**, free to use, build upon, and remix.

***

## 🌱 Why It Matters

For 20+ years, online laboratories (OLs) have existed but few have survived. Why?

❌ Lack of incentives\
❌ Reduced visibility\
❌ Lack of interoperability\
❌ Limited discoverability\
❌ Centralized gatekeepers\
❌ No reliability track records\
❌ Sustainability problems

We're solving this by building a **trustless**, **transparent**, and **tokenized** ecosystem where:

:heavy\_check\_mark: Institutions get rewarded for sharing their labs 🎓\
:heavy\_check\_mark: Labs have a verifiable performance and reliability track record 🔎\
:heavy\_check\_mark: Students and researchers get global, verifiable access 🌐\
:heavy\_check\_mark: Everyone benefits from a **fair, open, and decentralized model** 🔁

Not convinced yet? See what students, researchers, teachers, lab technicians and lab equipment manufacturers and sellers all over the world have to say about the topic:

* :bar\_chart: [Lab potential users (Spanish survey)](https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=VmwPliazQ0yeNAHJhWKkiaO4tiyCOfH6\&id=SHBYtXCgrUO2VCCjHpstmUHZIu_Zj5VBpqmg_wZZ0-VUQlJRN1E2UDhDV1pRRllGTTg0TlZDSVU2Sy4u)
* :bar\_chart: [Lab potential providers (Spanish survey)](https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=0fhNRC6EaXN2oKncJuTTJWuLZPAizA6j\&id=SHBYtXCgrUO2VCCjHpstmUHZIu_Zj5VBpqmg_wZZ0-VUMlZDNFZXWTJIVjVVUTVHVzNGRjE4Q0dRNC4u)
* :bar\_chart: [Lab potential users (English survey)](https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=7Glycz6QQZdiS6wl4UzQjiJeX8dQxUhn\&id=SHBYtXCgrUO2VCCjHpstmUHZIu_Zj5VBpqmg_wZZ0-VUMUFVRkFDUkYySUlWVlJWRkpITEU4NjBUVy4u)
* :bar\_chart: [Lab potential providers (English survey)](https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=XYfdmbOFkF5n5Ll5ylVWB3AA5Fk5tRPg\&id=SHBYtXCgrUO2VCCjHpstmUHZIu_Zj5VBpqmg_wZZ0-VUOEM3UUpNV1lYUzcyWEFXOUdRSkJHTzFOQy4u)

Would you like your voice to be heard too? You are welcome to fill the surveys yourself:

* 📝 [Potential lab user (English)](https://forms.office.com/e/Lmaa6haCsF)
* 📝 [Potential lab provider (English)](https://forms.office.com/e/4cuedTKrGK)
* 📝 [Potential lab user (Spanish)](https://forms.office.com/e/55krrX1cbz)
* 📝 [Potential lab provider (Spanish)](https://forms.office.com/e/6HYBsazuYm)

***

## 📂 Key Repositories

🔗 Explore our work:

* [`Smart Contracts`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/Smart-Contracts) — Solidity contracts (ERC-2535 proxy, ERC-721 NFTs, EIP-809 Reservations, ERC-20 $LAB).
* [`Lab Metadata`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/Lab-Metadata) — Specification for the tokenized labs metadata.
* [`Marketplace dApp`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/Marketplace) — The front-end to access, book, list and manage labs.
* [`Blockchain Services`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/Blockchain-Services) — Dockerized Java Spring service for authentication/authorization and smart contract interactions.
* [`Lab Gateway`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/lab-gateway) — Docker container that lab providers can deploy in seconds on any computer to function as a gateway / access system to their lab resources. Comes in two versions: lite and full (which includes the blockchain services).
* [`Lab Station`](https://github.com/DecentraLabsCom/Lab-Station) — A Windows-based daemon service for managing the open/close state of the desktop applications that provide the interface for controlling a lab setup.

> Want to contribute? [Check our issues](https://github.com/orgs/DecentraLabsCom/projects) or open a discussion!

***

## 🤝 Join the Movement

* 🌐 [Official Website](https://decentralabs.nebsyst.com)
* 🗣️ [Follow us on Twitter/X](https://twitter.com/DecentraLabsCom)
* 💬 [Join the Discussion Forum](https://github.com/orgs/DecentraLabsCom/discussions)
* 📨 [Contact Us](mailto:contact@nebsyst.com)

***

## 🛡 License

All our work is released under the **GPL 3.0 License** because we believe in **freedom, transparency, and collaboration**.

***

**DecentraLabs** is proudly led by [Nebulous Systems](https://nebsyst.com), [UNED](https://www.uned.es/) and [Blockchain@UBC](https://blockchain.ubc.ca/) with support from the [NGI Sargasso Programme](https://ngisargasso.eu/) and an international network of educators, researchers, and technologists.

***

> 🌍 *Let’s decentralize the world of science experimentation. Together.* 💫