Special Session 10

SPECIAL SESSION #10

Damien Fakra

University of Lorraine / University of Antananarivo

• damien.fakra@univ-lorraine.fr

This Special Session is dedicated to original low-cost, low-tech experimental setups and instrumentation that enable ultra-high-precision measurements across diverse fields (biology, civil engineering, energy systems, electronics, environmental science, etc.) for both metrological research and higher-education pedagogy.

The (non-exhaustive) topics addressed are directly linked to:

1. Session scope and motivation:
• Address the urgent need for affordable, high-precision measurement tools in resource-limited settings;
• Highlight design principles and best practices for low-tech sensor systems and mobile data-acquisition platforms;
• Showcase case studies where these solutions empower both cutting-edge research and hands-on teaching in developing countries;
• Foster collaboration between metrologists, educators, and technologists to scale sustainable measurement infrastructures.
2. Related topics:
• Open-source sensor design and fabrication;
• Mobile and autonomous acquisition systems;
• Calibration methods for low-cost instruments;
• Biosensors as environmental sentinels;
• Pedagogical integration of metrology labs in universities.

Dr. Damien Ali Hamada FAKRA, is an Associate Professor at the University of Lorraine (LERMAB laboratory) and a seasoned engineer in scientific experimentation and instrumentation since 2010. As a nationally certified expert in France (appointed in 2017), he oversees the competitive public‐service examinations for technicians and engineers in BAP C (Experimentation and Scientific Instrumentation). His expertise spans energy systems, environmental monitoring, and civil‐engineering applications, where he develops low‐tech, ultra‐high‐precision measurement solutions.
He holds three patents in metrological instrumentation and has authored more than 31 peer‐reviewed articles—including ten dedicated to low‐cost, high‐precision metrology—seven book chapters, and sixteen conference presentations. His research mission is to democratize advanced measurement techniques so that developing countries can carry out rigorous experiments and pedagogical activities at minimal cost. Since 2024, Dr. Damien Ali Hamada FAKRA has directed the METRO-LOGIC ORION Club at the University of Lorraine, mentoring students on innovative sensor and data‐acquisition projects. He also serves as Deputy Director of the LRMPGC laboratory (Materials, Processes & Civil Engineering) at the University of Antananarivo. He's Professor in this University. Beginning October 2025, he will supervise a Ph.D. candidate in digital dimensional metrology (in University of Lorraine), further extending his commitment to advancing metrological science and training the next generation of instrumentation specialists.