The Hardware Standards table was created as a reference guide to widely used hardware standards in the life sciences and laboratory automation community. Also included in the table are current ratings for eight different categories: Adoption, Maturity, Complexity, Need/Market Size, User Popularity, Coverage, Vendor Support and Activity. (See the key to the ratings for each category below.
Click on the standard name to learn more about its type, subtype and governing body. At the bottom of each hardware standard page, you will have the opportunity to rate the standard and its categories on a 1-5 scale.
The rating will be monitored and updated monthly.
Questions can be sent to SLAS Assistant Scientific Director Emily Yamasaki, PhD.
Join the conversation on data and hardware standardization and connect with the community via the Standards Initiatives Topical Interest Group in CONNECTED.
| Standard Name | Adoption | Maturity | Complexity | Need/Market Size | User Popularity | Coverage | Vendor Support | Activity |
| SiLA Type: Software Sub-type: Instrument Interface |
4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| AniML Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Allotrope (ADF) Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Allotrope Simplified Model (ASM) Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| ANSI/SLAS Microplate Standards Type: Labware Sub-type: Labware Definition |
5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| OPC UA LADS Type: Software Sub-type: Instrument Interface |
1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| RESTful HTTP API Type: Software Sub-type: Instrument Interface |
5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| JSON Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| gRPC Type: Software Sub-type: Instrument Interface |
1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| CSV Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| BPMN Type: Software Sub-type: Ontology schema |
1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| XML Type: Software Sub-type: Data Format |
5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| PyLabRobot Type: Software Sub-type: Instrument Interface |
1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Adoption
1 – Lab only, 5 – Global
Maturity
1 – Immature, 5 – Mature
Complexity
1 – Low, 5 – High
Activity
Is this standard actively maintained and updated? Are there guidelines for how to contribute?
1 – standard is not actively developed, 3 – standard is occasionally reviewed, 5 – standard is in active development
Lab Auto User Popularity
How many organizations are aware of and using this standard?
1 – None, 3 – Some, 5 – A large number
Need/Market Size
What is the total market size that would benefit from this standard?
1 – no SLAS members, 3 – some SLAS members, 5 – all SLAS members
Coverage
How much of the target domain does the standard cover?
1 – None, 3 – Some, 5 – Full
Vendor Support
How many vendors support/use this standard? Are vendors active members of this standard's community?
1 – Not supported by lab automation mfgs, 3 – adopted by major lab automation mfgs, 5 – adopted by all lab automation mfgs
Activity
Is this standard being actively worked on and maintained? Are there guidelines for how to contribute?
1 – standard is not actively developed, 3 – standard is occasionally reviewed, 5 – standard is in active development
