Dong Zheng, Executive DirectorSydney-based UniLab developed AC Lab System (ACLS) to simplify the management of shared research infrastructure. More than a booking calendar, ACLS connects instrument bookings, user and training records, access permissions, usage information and financial workflows in a configurable platform. Online self-service reduces routine administration, while facility-specific rules give staff consistent oversight without forcing every laboratory into the same operating model.
“We want our technology to give technical teams more time to support researchers and help institutions understand the value of their research infrastructure,” says Dong Zheng, UniLab’s executive director.
A System Shaped around the Facility
UniLab starts by listening to facility managers, technical staff and researchers. The team maps equipment and services, user groups, approval pathways, training requirements, charging arrangements and reporting needs. Implementation is collaborative: calendars, permissions and business rules are configured around each facility’s governance. UniLab also separates standard configuration from bespoke development, with migration, testing and training planned to suit the customer.
Booking records intended instrument use; linked user profiles and training records support eligibility checks. Actual usage, consumables, services and charge codes can be captured in connected workflows, giving facility managers a more complete operational picture and supporting reporting, billing and cost recovery.
Node BI dashboards help managers examine utilisation and operational trends. APIs and single sign-on can connect ACLS with institutional identity and other systems. Additional procurement, inventory, quotation and billing workflows can be introduced as needed, without requiring every facility to adopt every module.
Connecting the Screen to the Instrument
UniLab’s Moxy suite connects digital management with the physical laboratory. MoxyTap and MoxyTap Plus support onsite sign-in and instrument access, with MoxyTap Plus offering power-control integration for suitable equipment. MoxyTouch provides a touch-enabled kiosk interface for visitor reception and sign-in, while MoxyViewer presents relevant facility information. Together, these tools help bridge the gap between an online reservation and activity at the point of use.
Across Australian university research facilities, UniLab has adapted ACLS to different instruments, user groups and operating policies. At UNSW’s shared research facilities, for example, MoxyTap Plus can require a researcher to authenticate before power is enabled on participating equipment. Configurable training checks and account selection strengthen point-of-use controls and improve usage records compared with relying on reservations or manual logs alone.
UniLab encourages customers to assess outcomes against their own baselines, including instrument utilisation, cancellations, training compliance, administrative effort, consumables movement and billing completeness, rather than relying on unsupported improvement percentages.
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We want our technology to give technical teams more time to support researchers and help institutions understand the value of their research infrastructure.
UniLab encourages customers to assess outcomes against their own baselines, including instrument utilisation, cancellations, training compliance, administrative effort, consumables movement and billing completeness, rather than relying on unsupported improvement percentages.
Evolving with Research Infrastructure
For UniLab, implementation begins a long-term partnership. Its team provides technical support, maintenance, administration guidance, staff training and planned enhancements as facilities add instruments, update policies and adopt new institutional systems. Feedback from customers shapes improvements to booking rules, reporting and workflows, helping facilities evolve without replacing their entire management approach.
Building on ACLS, the next-generation ACLS+ platform is advancing user experience, architecture and integration. UniLab is also investing in analytics, connected instrument access, automation and responsible AI. Its research on auditable AI attribution of research infrastructure impact through publication linkage was accepted for presentation at eResearch Australasia 2026.
The Top Cloud-Based Laboratory & Research Infrastructure Management Platform in APAC 2026 recognition reflects UniLab’s focus on practical, connected solutions. The company aims to be known as a trusted Australian technology partner that helps researchers access facilities, enables technical teams to work efficiently and gives institutions clearer insight into the contribution of shared infrastructure.
Evaluating Laboratory Management Platforms beyond Equipment Booking
Shared research instruments may serve researchers, students, technical staff and external collaborators under different training requirements, access permissions, funding arrangements and service needs. A reservation calendar can show who intends to use equipment, but it cannot establish whether that person is authorized or whether the instrument was actually used. Charging may depend on records held elsewhere. When these details are scattered across separate systems, facility staff must reconcile them before making reliable decisions about access and cost recovery.
A laboratory management platform should connect bookings to the rules governing each resource. Instrument schedules need to reflect availability and permitted use, while user records must account for training and approval requirements. Those controls differ across facilities and sometimes between instruments in the same room. Standardizing every resource under one booking model may simplify installation but leave staff managing exceptions outside the software. The purchasing assessment should establish which rules can be configured, where approvals enter the process and how readily staff can administer changes.
Existing workflows also need to be understood before configuration decisions become implementation commitments. That includes how users are onboarded, historical records are transferred, new procedures are tested and staffs are trained. Institutions need to know whether a requested change falls within standard configuration or requires separately scoped development. Unclear boundaries can complicate budgets and delay deployment. A proposed system must accommodate existing governance without recreating the manual handoffs it is intended to replace.
Recorded bookings provide only a partial account of equipment activity. For instruments where authorization at the point of use is important, onsite authentication and sign-in can connect a reservation to actual access. Such arrangements may also help staff compare scheduled hours with recorded use. The purchasing decision should distinguish an online booking function from additional physical-access hardware or instrument controls, including which equipment can support them. This affects the reliability of usage records and the work required to implement access controls.
“UniLab configures rules around individual facilities' instruments and approval processes, distinguishing standard setup from separately scoped development.”
Those records become more useful when facilities can examine utilization, cancellations, training compliance and billing completeness together. Consumables and service activity also need to enter the reporting process if cost recovery is to reflect work performed. Reporting tools should reveal changes over time, while integration with institutional identity or finance systems can reduce duplicate administration. Equipment inventories and policies will continue changing after deployment. Software maintenance and support for revised workflows consequently deserve attention during selection rather than after procurement.
Developed by UniLab, AC Lab System (ACLS) links resource bookings with user eligibility, training records, usage activity and financial workflows. UniLab configures rules around individual facilities' instruments and approval processes, distinguishing standard setup from separately scoped development. Its MoxyTap and MoxyTap Plus options connect onsite sign-in and instrument access with system records, including power-control options for appropriate equipment. MoxyTouch supports touch-based interactions, while MoxyViewer displays relevant information. Node BI provides dashboards and reporting. UniLab also supports maintenance, staff training, issue resolution and integration through APIs or single sign-on. Configurable ACLS workflows allow institutions to maintain different instrument policies while connecting equipment access with usage records and cost recovery.
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Cloud-Based Laboratory and Research Infrastructure Management Platforms in APAC Info
Q1
What Do Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms Include?
Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms help universities and research institutions manage shared equipment, laboratory access and daily operations. These systems bring together instrument reservations, researcher records, training requirements, usage tracking and administrative workflows. Instead of maintaining separate spreadsheets and booking calendars, facility managers can oversee resources through a connected system. Many platforms also support reporting, inventory management and billing. This helps technical teams spend less time resolving administrative issues and more time assisting researchers who depend on laboratory facilities.
Q2
How Does UniLab Simplify Research Infrastructure Management?
UniLab provides Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms through its AC Lab System (ACLS), designed for shared research facilities. Led by executive director Dong Zheng, the Sydney-based company works with institutions to understand their equipment, user groups, training requirements and operating policies. ACLS connects instrument bookings with access permissions, usage records and financial workflows. Its configurable structure allows different facilities to maintain their own approval processes. UniLab also provides implementation support, system testing and staff training to help institutions adopt the platform.
Q3
Why Is Equipment Access Management Important in Research Laboratories?
Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms help facilities ensure that researchers meet the necessary requirements before using specialized instruments. Shared equipment may require technical training, supervisor approval or specific access permissions. A booking alone does not confirm that someone is qualified to operate an instrument. Connecting reservations with training and authorization records helps facilities manage these requirements more consistently. It also improves accountability by allowing technical teams to compare scheduled equipment use with recorded activity and identify potential gaps in their procedures.
Q4
What Should Research Institutions Consider When Choosing a Laboratory Management Platform?
Institutions evaluating Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms should consider workflow flexibility, integration capabilities, reporting tools and ongoing technical support. Different laboratories may have distinct booking rules, training requirements and charging arrangements. The platform should accommodate these differences without creating unnecessary administrative work. Buyers should also examine how historical records will be transferred and whether the system connects with existing institutional software. Clear implementation responsibilities and staff training are important because research facilities must continue operating during the transition.
Q5
How Does UniLab Connect Digital Bookings with Physical Laboratory Equipment?
UniLab extends its Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms through the Moxy suite, which connects online records with activity inside research facilities. MoxyTap supports onsite sign-in, while MoxyTap Plus can control power access to compatible instruments. At UNSW's shared research facilities, researchers can be required to authenticate before participating equipment is powered on. MoxyTouch provides a touchscreen interface for reception and sign-in, while MoxyViewer displays facility information. UniLab also uses Node BI dashboards to help managers examine equipment utilization and operational trends.
Q6
How Can Integrated Laboratory Management Improve Research Facility Operations?
Cloud-Based Laboratory Management Platforms can improve research operations by giving facility managers a clearer understanding of equipment usage, researcher eligibility and operating expenses. Connected records make it easier to identify booking cancellations, monitor training compliance and support accurate billing. Reporting tools can also reveal underused instruments and changing demand for laboratory resources. These insights help institutions plan equipment investments and allocate technical support. Regular system reviews ensure that management processes continue meeting the needs of researchers and facility staff.
