LabAction.com: new player on the science video niche market
Posted by attilachordash on April 6, 2007
Well, I am pleased to announce that we’ve just entered into an era of online scientific video sharing as there exists now a nascent niche market around. After the first mover JoVE (Journal of Visualized Expermients, covered many times here), LabAction.com was launched on 21st March 07 with as many as 3 biology-related videos. And I am more happy since one of my post had a little role as founder Ian Brown emailed me: “I read one of your blog on Science: video protocols can help to share the tacit dimension that appeared in October 06. It really inspired me to do a YouTube for LifeScientists. It took me quite some time to figure out what it takes to built a video sharing site but yes that was a good experience. I have recently launched a site www.labaction.com for sharing Biology videos.”
Ok, so LabAction is a definitely a YouTube-like video sharing surface, where everybody can upload their scientific related videos on protocols, products and so on. That means there won’t be any quality control here in contrast with JoVE’s editorial review process due to the novelty and required quality of video science publishing, but on the other hand LabAction could be popular because everybody can upload videos here. It could become a pop science site and for instance it may also be the place of high tech product adverstising, just like this cool microarray video ad, where at the turntable there is a guru made out of pipette tips scratching with a magnetic mixer, while eppendorf hiphop freaks are enjoying the perfomance of microarray built high tech break dancers.
From Ian’s writeup: LabAction.com presents a portal where researchers can share the much needed information on essential steps of new protocols and techniques. Videos and commentaries on every aspect of biology ranging from basic molecular biology to complex protein microarray experiments or trickiest surgery could be made accessible using video formats.
Video lectures on important publications could really transform the way in which the research could be communicated to the community. Short videos on PCR and PCR applications give an audio-visual overview to a newbie. Vendors of hardware and reagents, like Illumina with their Hip Hop microarrays, would find it exciting to market their products through entertaining videos.
Ian and his computer science counter part Sid have put in some money, time and effort to start up on this easy to digest manner scientific information sharing enterprise.
Ian also told me about Labaction and YouTube connection and on Jove: “Their is no connection between Labaction and YouTube videos, its up to people if they want their video on YouTube or Labaction. Labaction is more specific, more serious and just not only for fun.
JoVE, its a great idea. Design is good and so is the content. I think it will have an edge over other similar sites.”
What else have I left now: enjoy my microposition as the rising TechCrunch of biotech geekiness and startupship, repeating the mantra: Any suggestions, feedback and points of improvements are most welcome.
LabAction « biobits said
[...] De momento hay la friolera de 5 vídeos (públicos). Pero bueno, la criatura es joven. [...]
David Bradley said
I posted to the Sciencebase site a video showing pop sci experimentalist Robert Krampf demonstrating water’s properties using a balloon filled with water held in a candle flame. I thought it was quite an impressive demo, it never occurred to me that it was at all controversial. But, this morning I had an outraged email telling me this video is dangerous and that kids could start filling balloons with inflammable liquids and cause themselves and others serious harm.
I called the post “Saving a Balloon with Water” and you can watch the video here
Should I remove the vid, is it really going to wreak havoc in households across the world when kids start filling balloons with petrol, lighter fluid, and other nasties. Or is it just a bit of harmful fun with far more exciting alternatives on Youtube and elsewhere like WD40 stunts and Mentos and Diet Coke tricks, for kids intent on wreaking havoc to try?
db
bench man said
Hey, This ( Dnatube.com ) is another scientific web site and i think this is founded before this site bec it has more videos and more well established. link: