[Bioperl-l] Lab Instrumentation common interface standards fyi

[Jonathan Cline]

Amazingly, a huge issue in bio/chem labs is all the instrumentation
which is: uniquely designed, non-networked, uses custom data formats,
has proprietary software controls, etc.  Briefly, an
organization/consortium called SiLA is attempting to unify lab
equipment vendors under a common set of computer interface (data
communication) standards.  They seem to be making regular progress.
This standard is open to $$$ members $$$, and currently does not allow
open source implementations although this possibility is under
discussion - and basically comes down to $$$.   My own perl open
source lab automation software won't support SiLA until SiLA allows
the implementation to become more open.

The SiLA Device Interface Standard for example ( http://www.sila.coop
), defines what operations a centrifuge performs and what data it
sends back to a host.  The specified data comm stack is
IP/TCP/HTTP/SOAP/XML over wired ethernet.  Yes, SOAP.  Using HTTPS for
security is optional.

A benefit to the choices in their standard is that Perl would support
the entire stack quite easily.


-- 
## Jonathan Cline
## jcline at ieee.org
## Mobile: +1-805-617-0223
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