Engineering Blog
Technical insights from building intelligent lab infrastructure
Why REST APIs and SiLA2 Don't Talk - And How to Bridge Them
REST and SiLA2 use incompatible wire protocols. openapi-to-sila2 auto-generates SiLA2 FDL XML and gRPC stubs from an OpenAPI spec - bridge in minutes.
Self-Driving Labs in 2026 - What Actually Works vs. What's Still Hype
An evidence-based analysis of self-driving laboratories in 2026. What SDL technology actually ships, what remains marketing, and why the software middleware layer is the real bottleneck.
Laboratory Automation Software Comparison 2026 - LIMS, ELN, and the Rise of API-First Platforms
Comprehensive comparison of laboratory automation software in 2026. LIMS vs ELN vs custom platforms, vendor middleware vs API-first vs MCP-native architectures, and a decision framework for labs.
Agentic AI for Lab Workflows - From Scripts to Autonomous Systems
How AI agents replace rigid lab automation scripts with systems that reason, adapt, and compose multi-step workflows. Architecture patterns, safety, and the realistic path forward.
What Is a Digital Twin for Laboratories? A Practical Guide
A digital twin laboratory creates a live virtual replica of lab instruments and workflows. Learn architecture, use cases, and AI-driven protocol testing.
How to Connect AI Agents to Lab Instruments with MCP
A practical guide to building AI instrument control software with MCP. TypeScript code walkthrough, architecture patterns, and comparison to REST/SDK integrations.
Why Rust Is the Future of Laboratory Instrument Control
Rust laboratory instrument control offers memory safety, real-time performance, and regulatory compliance that C++ cannot match. Here is why we are making the switch.
The Future of AI-Powered Instrument Control
How MCP enables AI agents to control lab instruments, why current LIMS/ELN integrations fall short, and how QPillars approaches the problem differently.
MCP Protocol - A New Standard for Lab Automation
What is the Model Context Protocol, why it matters for scientific instruments, and how it compares to traditional API integrations in laboratory environments.