A dry laboratory in the context of digital health refers to a research or analytical environment where scientists and researchers work with digital data and computational tools to conduct experiments, analyze health-related information, and develop solutions without directly handling biological or chemical substances. Dry laboratories play a crucial role in advancing digital health technologies and solutions. Researchers in these labs may work on tasks such as data analysis, machine learning, bioinformatics, and the development of software applications or algorithms to improve healthcare outcomes, diagnosis, treatment, and patient care using digital tools and data.

The African Digital Health Research Institute (ADHRI) maintains a dedicated dry laboratory to test and validate digital health tools and technologies prior to field deployment. This dry lab enables rapid iteration.

Key functions include:

• Application integration testing using simulated datasets.
• Interoperability testing across devices, APIs and platforms.
• Virtual system integration testing across multiple software modules.
• Controlled user acceptance testing with representative users.
• Test case development and test automation.

The ADHRI dry lab models real-world clinical environments and diverse use cases. This facilitates agile development and ensures digital health solutions are primed for smooth adoption prior to live deployment.