Julian Stirling

My current research involves developing open-source scientific hardware for use in Africa and the wider Global South. Open-source hardware is generally much cheaper than proprietary alternatives, but the benefits go far beyond simple cost reduction. Open-source hardware fosters collaborations as new technologies are not locked away from the innovators who need them. It also protects users from vendor lock-in and expensive service contracts by helping local innovators to build, repair, and improve equipment.

I work with Dr Richard Bowman on an open-source 3D-printed laboratory-grade robotic microscope which can be manufactured in Tanzania using printers constructed locally from recycled electronic waste. We collaborate with local manufacturers in Tanzania who will produce and repair microscopes which can be used to diagnose malaria.

We are also working to improve quality control for local manufacturing. This includes designing mechanical testing facilities for printed microscopes in Tanzania, and for 3D-printer filament produced in Kenya from recycled plastic bottles. We are also partnering with institutions in Ghana to explore on-site metrology in the Suame Magazine industrial cluster.