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Bika LIMS 2.1 Inkosi Released
Bika LIMS 2.1 Inkosi 'The Chief' is the next major public release of the professionally supported open source LIMS by Cape Town company Bika Lab Systems and was released 26 May on a general public license, free to download, install and use.
Popular first release of Bika - pronounced bheeka and meaning 'to report' in isiZulu - has been downloaded more than 12 500 times world wide and established Bika as leading open source LIMS.
Feature rich LIMS 2 promises to become true Inkosi to the global Bika community of users and developers. It is now in production locally and being piloted in Canada, Nigeria and Costa Rica.
Also in May, Bika hosted a fellow from CICA with the aim of further customisation and implementations in pesticide residue laboratories in Latin America. The scientific exchange was sponsored by the IAEA. A Spanish translation is nearing completion
Automation
Bika Inkosi offers a host of functional enhancements, a well developed quality control suite and more automation to further improve turnaround times and eliminate human error
Regularly requested analysis sets, analysis profiles, can now be ordered with the minimum of clicks and in bulk through import files
In the lab itself, once-off worksheet template creation circumvents laborious manual work sheet management. The templates include place holders for control and duplicate samples and can be configured to closely resemble instrument trays
Upon using a template, Inkosi populates worksheets with analyses closest to their due dates but these can be manually adjusted to requirement, before exporting them to instruments and recovering results without having to manually enter any data
Results proceed through the standard Bika web based workflow - validated against client and product specific specifications, verification and publication in the client's preferred media: email, fax, digitally signed print, SMS and export file
The process is assisted by a system of alerts, prompting role players of pending tasks. A true time calendar, taking non working hours into account, makes for accurate alerts and efficiency reports. Results remain securely archived on-line, accessible via a powerful Google-like live search engine
The Bika Calendar was developed and released as standalone product for adoption and further enhancement in other open source projects
Quality Control
Bika LIMS 1 is successfully used in ISO 17025 accredited labs and Inkosi builds on this heritage with granular audit trails of samples, analyses, analysis requests, worksheets, orders, invoices, and web content edits, ensuring total traceability. Analysis and work sheet re-testing work flows are incorporated and logged
Quality Control measures include the maintenance of standards, stocks and suppliers, the use of blanks and duplicate samples, instrument calibrations and graphical reporting on trends, distribution curves, relative % error and inter-laboratory proficiency schemes
CMS - Web portal content management
Bika remains one of the few web based LIMS not held back by web enabled legacy design, but developed in the cutting edge and robust web server technologies the Internet originated on. Inkosi LIMS front end can be built up to provide valuable services to clients and staff as well as marketing material to prospects and anonymous visitors
Knowledge centres and news letter tools are just two products that easily integrate with the LIMS and literally hundreds more exist, developed in the community supporting Plone, the open source CMS Inkosi is built on
POS - the professional open source model adopted by Bika
There is much media coverage about open source software models but these are often misunderstood and its potential underestimated. POS combines traditional OSS projects run by a community of software enthusiasts with a professional company, Bika Lab Systems in the case of Inkosi. The community adds strong support and world wide adoption of the software, while Bika Lab Systems backs the project with full-time engineering staff and formal contracts sponsored by fee-paying customers
Customers benefit from the increased quality of the software and design, and increased traction enabled by the product's community. Customers, partners, engineers, and open source communities are all self-motivated in ways that are beneficial to themselves and, as a side effect, to all
Future plans
Bika LIMS development is driven by client and community requirements, and if feedback from the current round of pilot projects bears fruit, complete instrument maintenance, batching, sample storage management and change request modules will be developed for release 4th quarter 2008. These will once more be best of breed designs discussed and improved in the Bika community forums. Ubuntu!
For more information please visit www.bikalabs.com. All enquiries welcome, info@bikalabs.com
2008-06-03 13:52:34 UTC by jorisgoudriaan
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Bika Interlab 1.2 · Proficiency Testing Software
The unique and ingenuous web based inter-laboratory proficiency testing system designed and sponsored by the South African Wine Laboratory Association (SAWLA) and developed locally in open source technologies by Bika Lab Systems, went into production February 2007 and proved very successful, eliminating the 3 week turn around experienced with the spread sheet based system it replaced
Effective proficiency testing is one of the tools employed by SAWLA towards its goal to improve the quality of wine laboratories in SA, standardise methodology and provide a forum for communication and access to information
The proficiency testing scheme (PTS) runs on a monthly basis, two different wine samples per month. The scheme co-ordinator validates bulk samples as homogeneous in an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, bottles and distributes the samples. Member labs then have a week to analyse the samples, on 15 different parameters, and submit their results on-line
In the on-line system it works like this: The PTS co-ordinator prepares the samples and creates a testing round on-line at the SAWLA web portal. The system automatically informs members per e-mail and provides relevant information about the sample type, distribution and closing date. Member labs fetch their samples, analyse them and enter their results on-line. A senior analyst or manager verifies the data
After their results were verified, and enough verified results are available to make statistical sense, members may immediately see their comparative stats and performance indicators. They are warned though that these remain dynamic as more labs submit their data. When the testing round closes, members receive their final performances per e-mail
Analysis results are archived and presented to members graphically via distribution curves, method comparisons and chronological Z-value plots. The system delivers immediate turnaround
Since the SAWLA system is built on a Content Management System (CMS) platform, it offers benefits in a dynamic interactive web portal at www.sawla.org. The SAWLA portal currently offers a Help centre with training videos, member list and statistics explanations
The system's CMS capabilities will now be exploited to the fullest in SAWLA's drive to have the system certified ISO compliant. It will serve as document repository for SAWLA's quality control manual, year plan, complaints register, corrective and preventative action forms and register, internal audits, management reviews and skills development packages
Attention will then be directed at SAWLA's long term PTS objectives, obtaining international participation and making the analysed wine available as certified reference material
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Proficiency Testing
The aim of Proficiency Testing - also known as Inter-Laboratory Comparison Programmes, ILCP, or Proficiency Schemes - is to provide laboratories with objective assessments of the accuracy and reliability of their test results. Proficiency Testing also provides the opportunity for laboratories to benchmark their performance within a pooled industry group, nationally or internationally
www.labchek.info
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No license fees
Bika Interlab is licensed on the GNU General Public License and can be downloaded from the Bika Interlab Project centre at http://www.bikalabs.com/interlab. Bika Interlab is based on Bika LIMS 1.2.5 and Plone 2.5
On-line demo
An on-line demonstration installation can be accessed at http://interlab.bikalabs.com/
The Bika Team
http://www.bikalabs.com/
2007-10-23 20:46:18 UTC by jorisgoudriaan
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Bika LIMS 1.2.5 Released
The upgrade enhances performance and a few smaller bugs were fixed - the corresponding issues were closed in the trackers at SourceForge.net. Please see Bika LIMS 1.2.5 release details (http://www.bikalabs.com/softwarecenter/bika/releases/1.2.5)
The Bika LIMS 1.2 demo (http://demo.bikalabs.com/)was also updated with this release. To try it, please send us a Demo Request (demorequest@bikalabs.com)
Other Bika LIMS 1.2.5 Resources
Bika LIMS Project
http://www.bikalabs.com/softwarecenter/bika
Direct Download
http://sourceforge.net/project/platformdownload.php?group_id=145464
2007-10-22 07:17:28 UTC by jorisgoudriaan
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Bika LIMS 2 · QC and Worksheet template design invitation
Programming on Bika LIMS 2.0's Worksheet templates and QC module starts 1 March. It would be great to refine these designs with feedback from lab specialists wanting to contribute. Summarised designs have been uploaded to the LIMS 2 project page and the users' mailing list posted. You are invited to comment. Specifically challenging would be to design a Worksheet 'Template Engine' for lab managers to create and maintain worksheet templates in the simplest possible way
Extract:
"Bika 2 provides Worksheet Templates for the creation of Worksheets made up of requested analyses logically grouped together, eg the analyses destined for the same instrument and analyst. These templates include QC controls such as Standards and Duplicates
Raw results are captured, where applicable, also catch weights & volumes. Correction factors based on Calibration samples, as well as catch weights/volumes, are calculated and applied to the raw results and reported as corrected values
The challenge is to design a Worksheet 'Template Engine' (TE) for lab managers to create new and maintain existing worksheet templates - eg when the lab add new analyses, methods or sample types to their repertoires"
"Key to understanding the concept, the WS Template engine sits at the top of a 3 tier hierarchy: Daily Worksheets are created from Worksheet templates that were created earlier in the Worksheet Template Engine"
Worksheet Template Engine proposal
Quality Control proposal · Standards, their Specifications and Suppliers, Duplicates (Checks), Blanks and Calibrations. Analysis Request and Worksheet flow. Reports and graphs, Trends, Distribution and % Error
Contribute
Please forward comment to 'lemoene at bikalabs dot com' or post or listen in on the Bika Users' mailing list at http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/bika-users
2007-01-24 14:45:33 UTC by jorisgoudriaan
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Bika LIMS 1.2 "ISO 17025 Ready" available for download
Open sourced Bika LIMS 1.2 has been released and is now available for download from Sourceforge (https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=145464).
Bika LIMS 1.2 is the latest release of Bika's generic LIMS trunk and is ISO 17025 ready - BBK laboratory, Worcester, South Africa, has already been accredited using Bika Wine 1.2.
Up to version 1.1, Bika LIMS still carried many inherited references to Bika Wine, the branch Bika started out as. These have all been removed and the LIMS can now be customised to any lab discipline with even greater ease.
The Bika LIMS project page has been updated with the 1.2 functional specification earlier, please see: Modifications to Bika LIMS for ISO 17025 accredited labs.
New functionality / Upgrades
* Portal content management simplified
* Accreditation functionality completed
* Statements renamed to Invoices
* Jobcards renamed to Worksheets
* New identification fields added to analysis request
* Client Reference, Sample Type and Sample Point
* Welcome page introduced
* Late analyses list linked from late analyses portlet
* Accreditation body logo and details added to laboratory info
* Accreditation logo, disclaimers added throughout web site
* Laboratory confidence level value data driven from laboratory info
* Analyses methods provided as pop-up where analyses are listed
* Titration factors and titration volumes added to analyses and worksheets
* Measure of uncertainties introduced per analysis and intercept
* Two new specialist roles created - verifier and publisher
* Sample test data load script - load_sample_data.py
* Generic instrument data import tool
* Login portlet added on front page
* Modifications required to support Bika Interlab
* Permit analysis parent, sample, to be in 'released' state.
Bugs Fixed
SourceForge tracker issue numbers:
* 1566324: Logged in page redirected to welcome page.
* 1573299: LiveSearch - Added permissions to InvoiceLineItem.
* 1573083: Status Drop Down - Invoicing
* 1551957: Contacts not visible to other contacts. Correct local owner role
* 1566334: Position of 'add new ar' button changed to conform to other forms
* 1532008: Query results sort order most recent first
* 1532770: Order default listing correction
* 1558458: Member discount data driven in messages on AR forms
* 1538354: SubTotal and VAT calculation on edit AR
* 1532796: AR edit - allow change of contact
For more information, please visit http://www.bikalabs.com, http://bika.sourceforge.net or e-mail info@bikalabs.com
The Bika Labs Team
2006-10-20 07:40:11 UTC by jorisgoudriaan
