With more than 70 attendees also this year’s SiLA MipTec Luncheon was completely booked. Besides presentations about SiLA’s visions and mission, an overview about product developments, implementations and integration projects supporting the SiLA Device Control and Data Interface Standard (DCDIS) was provided by speakers of different member companies. The luncheon closed with an overview about current standards development projects such as Labware Specification, Data Capture, Imaging Data Interface, and Remote Service&Monitoring. SiLA partners presented live demos of their implementations and products (product informations will be added to this website soon). The feedback received from attendees during luncheon talks was very positive and encouraging !

SiLA finished the first implementations providing a proof of concept for the SiLA Labware Specification Standard. Details will be presented during a presentation at the MipTec User Group Informatics on Sept 21, 2010 in Basel.

SiLA introduces a training program for the SiLA Device Control and Data Interface Specification (Basic and Advanced Courses) for device and software vendors, system integrators and lab managers. Please contact SiLA for further details.

SiLA welcomes STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG (Germany) as a new corporate member of the SiLA Consortium. STRATEC designs and manufactures fully automated analyzer systems for its partners in the fields of clinical diagnostics and
biotechnology.

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.

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 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.