Category: News
PITTCON celebrated its 70th year this year making it one of the oldest laboratory shows and still one of the largest US exhibitions we attend. The 2019 format, held at the Philadelphia Convention Center, was similar to last year with a five-day technical program and a three-day exhibition. Many US Labs, large and small, find PITTCON a great place to research LIMS. They are able to compare the main vendors in-depth over the course of the three days and get to understand them enough to make some initial choices and guide their future decisions over user requirements. Unlike in previous years there was no “Informatics” section, so those doing the research had to search out the LIMS vendors from the exhibitors.
Left to right: Tim, Lonnie, Samuel, Charlotte (and Steven not in picture).
Autoscribe Informatics demonstrated key improvements in Matrix Gemini LIMS at PITTCON 2019. These included advanced quality assurance worksheet functionality to manage the flow of QA samples among the general samples running through the laboratory, an updated instrument interface (MIDAS) to seamlessly link instruments into the LIMS, improved integration of the Instrument Calibration and Maintenance System (ICMS) module, Matrix Tree view functionality to allow any hierarchical data in the system to be displayed in a tree like structure, and Matrix Gemini Container Management functionality that enables visualization of well plates, racks and similar containers with associated data.
There were several new innovations this year at PITTCON. The nightly “Pub Pittcon” was a chance to network and meet new colleagues, though some of the karaoke signing was a little dubious! “Lab Gauntlet” allowed people to try their hand at something different, and extend their knowledge, with new lab equipment or techniques not tried before. Other things on offer included virtual reality headset experiences, trying your hand at creating the fastest LEGO racing car and listening to live demonstrations in the DemoZone. With a show so large to walk around, and so much to take in, these alternative attractions proved useful to allow downtime and allow your legs to recover.
I've not highlighted new products here from other vendors, but there were a lot! If you are interested in this then here are three articles which capture some of the newer laboratory instruments coming through. Just remember these are paid for inserts...:
- Lab Manager Pittcon Roundup
- American Laboratory Pittcon Roundup
- Select Science Pittcon Roundup
Next year, I’m told, its back to Chicago, where we’ll again find the broad range of laboratory suppliers and in-depth technical program that makes PITTCON the must attend event in the US Laboratory calendar.
