International Scanner Benchmark 2025!
Unlock the Future of Slide Scanning
​​EMPAIA International invites all slide scanner manufacturers to participate in the International Scanner Benchmark 2025.
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The new 'Benchmark' format offers manufacturers neutral, detailed evaluations and feedback.
All participants will receive detailed benchmark for each of their scanners and participating domains.
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We will publicly award prizes in various categories at ECDP 2025 in Barcelona, as well as at Pathology Visions in San Diego and ASDP in Mumbai.
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
Domain
High Throughput
Quality
Technical
Frozen Sections
New Innovative Approaches
Design and Usability (free of charge, evaluation upon request)
Description
Survey towards throughput, 20x / 40x
Survey towards quality, 20x / 40x
Colour calibration slide
Power consumption, acoustic camera
Scanner specialised for frozen section and remote scanning
Currently, concepts like 3D scanning and multiplexing, among others, have yet to reach the market.
Survey towards user experience
Criteria
Speed, focus, completeness, stitching
Manual quality assessment
Scanning area, colour fastness, power consumption, noise emission
Image quality, ease of use,
compactness and portability
Standardization, customer demand and feedback
trends, industry reports and trends
System usability scale
General Rules
Each company can participate in any of the offered domains with one or more scanners.
All glass slides are provided.
Independent referees are responsible for handling the slide series, time measurements and supervision of the contest.
Reviews and comments on the evaluated results by participants are possible.
Benchmarks are generated individually for every vendor. The results will be made anonymous for other vendors, except rank 1-3.
What Does It Cost?
5,000 € basic fee per participating company
5,000 € basic fee per scanner per company
2,500 € per domain per scanner for the domain “High Throughput” and “Quality” you can participate in 20x and 40x resolution separately
Attractive membership discounts are available for EMPAIA members. Inquire here about your prospective membership class and the discount available to you.
The Schedule
Phase 1
Registration
September 2024: Finalisation of contest domains and the overall schedule.
December 1, 2024: Deadline for scanner vendor pre registration. Vendors are encouraged to select their preferred contest domains during registration. Multiple devices can be registered across different domains.
December 31, 2024: Deadline for scanner vendors to complete registration. Coordination with the manufacturers and the signing of contracts may exceed this deadline.
Phase 2
Test and Evaluation
Testing and validation of the scanners will take place before and during ECDP 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. The scanners participating in the benchmark will be set up and tested prior to the start of the ECDP. Immediately after the benchmark, they can be showcased in the industrial exhibition. Any outstanding scans or tests can still be completed there.
The tests will be conducted by the company’s technicians under the supervision of referees. We recommend that each manufacturer provides a competent support team on-site, including technical equipment for troubleshooting. During the ECDP, the technical evaluation will be carried out using both automated programs and the expertise of pathologists and other specialists on-site.
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Phase 3
Presentation of Results, Award Ceremony
The award event is scheduled to coincide with the conclusion of ECDP 2025 on June 28 in Barcelona, Spain. Results will be presented, and awards will be given during a dedicated session.
The results of the Scanner Benchmark will also be presented at other international conferences, such as Pathology Visions 2025 in San Diego, California (October 5–7, 2025), and ASDP 2025 in Mumbai, India (October 10–12, 2025).
Detailed benchmark reports for each scanner manufacturer will be provided confidentially.
Phase 4
Detailed Benchmark Reports for Each Scanner Manufacturer
The exact benchmark results will be sent to participants confidentially in a carefully prepared format. In addition to the results, they will also receive detailed information on any identified issues. Participants will be given access to their own data and will be able to view the aggregated, anonymized data of competitors in the respective categories. This evaluation will be fully available by the end of September 2025.
Who To Contact?
scanner-benchmark@empaia.org or Tel.: +49-175-958 39 66