SiLA welcomes Noser Engineering (CH) as a new corporate member of the SiLA Consortium. We are looking forward to cooperate with Noser Engineering in SiLA integration projects.

The SiLA Device Control and Data Interface Standard V1.1 has passed our final ballot and is released. The standard has been validated successfully in several reference project implementations. SiLA interfaces can be realized in the form of software drivers or interface converters for legacy products or natively implemented in new device models.

The specification document for the SiLA Device Control and Data Interface Standard V1.1 can be ordered via email for EUR 490.-. (free of charge for Corporate and Observing SiLA Members).

SiLA introduces a new Membership Category for Individuals and invites Industry Professionals to join the SiLA community. Individual members will benefit from being included in SiLA’s mailing list, invitations and discounts for SiLA events and publications, access to the new SiLA social networking platform (under preparation) and participation in topic-related discussion forums. For registration applications please send a short bio to SiLA. Registration fee is EUR 95.-.

SiLA welcomes Lab Services BV (NL) as a new corporate member of the SiLA Consortium . We are looking forward to cooperate with LabServices for integration of SiLA interfaces in their products and solutions.

SiLA welcomes HighRes Biosolutions (US) as a new corporate member of the SiLA consortium. We are looking forward to working with HighRes’ highly experienced team in our various technical workgroups and upcoming integration projects.

Please find further details in the related press release.

SiLA is currently finalizing Version 1.1 of  the SiLA Device Control and Data Interface Standard, a detailed 60 page technical specification of the new Ethernet based connectivity and communication protocol. The document will be published early May and can be ordered by email and soon through our website.

SiLA has developed a Common Command Dictionary containing more than 100 commands, each of them applicable to multiple device classes out of our device class library which contains more than 30 different device classes.

Device Class Interface Specifications for Incubators, Washers and Dispensers are currently being finalized and will be available soon as well. Device Class Interface Specifications for Pipetting Workstations, Microplate Readers, Robots and Storage Systems are currently under development in our technical workgroups.

Another SiLA workgroup is developing a specification standard for Labware products with the goal to provide XML based Labware specification parameter files for equipment vendors and end users. A reference implementation project has been started recently implementing labware from different vendors on different devices used at Novartis, Roche and Actelion in Switzerland. This project is still open for additional participants. Please contact us if you are interested to join.

SiLA’s data standardization efforts are organized in the SiLA data capture workgroup, in which more than 15 companies contribute with their technical expertise and knowledge at this time. The data capture workgroup currently focuses on developing a standardized glossary and data dictionary as well as a standard format for microplate reader result data.

In may we will start a new technical workgroup addressing standardization of Remote Access and Remote Service interfaces and another workgroup for standardization of LIMS interfaces.

Please contact us if you like to participate in one of our technical workgroups (open for corporate members only) or if you would like to be included in periodic public workgroup conferences (accessible for observing members and for non-members upon registration).

We are planning to start more pilot projects soon, we would be very happy to hear from you in case you are interested to use SiLA interface standards in one of your current or future integration projects.

SiLA’s ambitious program requires strong support of a constantly growing partner- and membership base including financial contributions through membership fees to help finance our projects.

SiLA exhibits on Lab Automation 2010 in Palm Springs, booth 367  from 24.-26.01.2010. The newest standardisation projects and pilot implementations will be presented on Jan 27 11:15-12:45 by Dieter Speidel, CTO of SiLA. Location: Smoketree A-D, Palm Springs Convention Center

Microplate reader suppliers, Pharma Corporations, IT solution providers and Academia Partners have launched a workgroup within SiLA to develop a standardized data interface for microplate readers. Interested institutions are invited to participate in this effort. Contact us for more details !

The SiLA Labware Workgroup currently develops an innovative approach to specify labware parameters allowing to establish a standardized basis for suppliers to provide XML files for their labware products. These XML files can be used to configure any device using the labware freeing users from tedious parameter conversions and manual data entry.

Labware and device suppliers who would like to support this effort are invited to join our Labware Workgroup !

SiLA will achieve all major goals set in the plan for the year 2009 and has even started additional activities such as standardisation of labware specifications and data capture.

The most intensive part of the work, SiLA’s General Interface Specification (Part I) has been finalized by end of August, Part II will be completed before end of this year. As a result, the SiLA standard will be ready for implementation by end of 2009 .

The 2009 SiLA success stories are as follows:

• SiLA General Interface Specification (Part I) V1.0 is released and available.
• First draft of SiLA Data Class Specifications will be ready for review in Q4 2009
• Status of SiLA Device Class Interface Specifications
  • Incubators: ready for review
  • Dispensers: ready for review
  • Readers: under development
  • Pipettors: workgroup will start during the last quarter of this year
  • Robots: workgroup will start during the last quarter of this year
• SiLA Labware Parameter Settings First draft will be available by end of Q4 2009
• Research Project for Standardisation of result data structures and formats
• Pilot Projects
  Several member companies started their first implementations of the SiLA interface standard in pilot projects and products development already in Q3.
• SiLA Certification procedures and trainings are being prepared to allow us offering these services during the course of the first half of 2010 to our implementation partners.

SiLA invites for technical presentation of the first SiLA standards which will take place on October 14, 14:00-15:30 at MipTec in Basel.

AGENDA

14:00     Welcome and short intro

14:15     SiLA General Interface Specification V1.0: Short overview on the content of our first released version

14:30     SiLA Incubator Device Class Interface Specification: Detailed presentation and kick-off for review

14:50     SiLA Dispenser Device Class Interface Specification: Detailed presentation and kick-off for review

15:10     Discussion

15:30     Registrations for review

Attendance for the technical presentation at MipTec is limited. Registrations will be accepted in date order. Admission is free of charge (SiLA Membership required).

SiLA is pleased to announce its luncheon on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 (11:00-12:15) at MipTec Drug Discovery Congress in Basel (Room Nairobi). In the course of this luncheon, a presentation will be given featuring the SiLA Initiative, its mission and goals, as well as informing about the status of SiLA’s activities. Participants will get the chance to receive a registered copy of the SiLA General Interface Specification and signing up for Validation or Implementation Partnership with SiLA.

Attendance is limited. Admission is free. Contact us for receiving a personal invitation.

SiLA Companies deciding for implementation of the SiLA Interface Standard can now qualify as SiLA Implementation Partner by joining the SiLA Consortium and passing the Basic Training for the SiLA Device Interface Standard. Implementations cover development of drivers, interface converters up to native embedded SiLA device interfaces.

SiLA welcomes BMG LABTECH (Offenburg, Germany) as supporting member.

A lot of activities have been going on during the last weeks. The General Interface Standard Specification is currently under review. The review will be closed by mid July so we can expect the first release of this spec already in August.

The first device class interface spec for incubators has been finalized as well and will be reviewed shortly.

After the vacation break in July, activities will focus on dispensers, readers and labware specifications. These workgroups are still open for additional members, so call us to join in !

SiLA welcomes RTS Group (Manchester, UK) and Corning Life Sciences Europe (Amsterdam, Netherlands) as new supporting members.

SiLA General Interface Specification (Part I)  has been submitted today to the SiLA Membership for review.  A team of 12 specialists from 8 different SiLA member companies have joined their efforts to develop this specification within a relatively short timeframe. The General Interface Specification covers all 7 ISO/OSI levels from physical connection up to the application layer. Part II will cover basic and complex data types and be ready for review in just a few weeks.

SiLA welcomes Cybio AG (Jena, Germany) and CTC Analytics AG (Zwingen, Switzerland) as new supporting members.