START HERE — Status-first routes: Layer-0, I₃⁻ Aptamer, ESL/EStL, Proxy Boundary

[salpida-foundation]

START HERE — Status-first routes

This issue is the current public navigation point for technical readers, PIs, laboratories, candidates, and collaborators.

Current status:

kernel-first · pre-opening · research-stage · non-clinical · non-diagnostic · non-therapeutic

This issue is not:

• a live public competition notice
• a product launch
• a certification or compliance surface
• a clinical, diagnostic, or therapeutic claim
• a substitute for DOI / OSF canonical records
• a claim that the Sal-Meter kernel has already been validated

GitHub is a technical helper and implementation index.
Canonical authority remains fixed in DOI / OSF records and the Salpida Foundation public routing structure.

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Read first

Do not begin by browsing files randomly.

Use this order first:

1. Status
   https://salpida.foundation/status/

2. For PIs and Laboratories
   https://salpida.foundation/for-pis/

3. PI Quick Decision Pack
   https://salpida.foundation/publications/pi-quick-decision-pack/

4. Sal-Meter Topic
   https://salpida.foundation/topics/sal-meter/

5. CAIS Topic
   https://salpida.foundation/topics/cais/

6. Publications Hub
   https://salpida.foundation/publications/

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Current execution order

The program should be read in this order:

1. External Layer-0
2. SICS Internal Phase 0
3. Phase 1
4. Phase 2a
5. Phase 2b
6. LOCK 1 / LOCK 2
7. Future SDK / broader opening

External Layer-0 is not SICS Internal Phase 0.
External Layer-0 is not Phase 1.
External Layer-0 is an outsourced chemistry-first feasibility support track.

Broader opening is future-facing and belongs after LOCK 1 / LOCK 2 review.

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What is actually open now

The following routes are currently open or being prepared.

1. External Layer-0 feasibility inquiry

Best fit:

• electrochemistry labs
• biosensor labs
• redox chemistry groups
• gold-electrode interface teams
• thiol / disulfide perturbation teams
• labs with strong drift, repeatability, controls, raw data, and metadata discipline

Core question:

Can iodine redox / thiol-interface behavior produce stable, repeatable, auditable signal behavior under bounded feasibility conditions?

This route is chemistry-first external feasibility support.

It does not create:

• Sal-Meter validation
• CAIS compliance
• certification
• device designation
• clinical status
• diagnostic status

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2. I₃⁻ / Aptamer G-Iodine development inquiry

Best fit:

• aptamer groups
• molecular-interface groups
• binding-characterization groups
• biosensor-interface teams
• groups capable of selectivity, cross-reactivity, immobilization suitability, and sensor-interface thinking

Core question:

Can an I₃⁻-targeted aptamer or aptamer-like molecular interface support a non-therapeutic signal-gating path?

This is a non-therapeutic signal-interface component track.

It is not:

• a drug track
• a therapeutic track
• a diagnostic track
• a clinical-use track

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3. ESL recruitment

ESL = Experimental Stability Lead

The ESL owns physical consistency.

Needed strengths:

• electrochemical measurement discipline
• bench stability
• electrode behavior
• cartridge / chamber logic
• drift control
• repeatability
• SOP stability
• calibration discipline
• troubleshooting structure
• internal lab readiness

First useful output:

• measurement-risk map
• Layer-0 feasibility review checklist
• minimum internal lab readiness list
• drift / repeatability / control checklist
• External Layer-0 technical review support

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4. EStL recruitment

EStL = Evidence & Statistical Traceability Lead

The EStL owns evidence consistency.

Needed strengths:

• metadata schema
• QC checklist
• leakage prevention
• audit trail
• raw data package logic
• reproducibility pack
• holdout design
• reporting discipline
• version-aware documentation
• public-claims review discipline

First useful output:

• metadata schema v0.1
• evidence package checklist
• raw data handover checklist
• leakage-prevention rules
• PI / lab submission review structure
• public-claims review checklist

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5. Proxy benchmark preparation

Proxy benchmark preparation is a support track only.

It is not:

• the Sal-Meter core signal track
• a CAIS-compliant device implementation
• a validated substitute for Sal-Meter
• a clinical, diagnostic, or therapeutic tool

Purpose:

• synchronized multimodal benchmark platform
• ECG / HRV / EDA / PPG / EEG / eye / gaze support
• metadata discipline
• labeling structure
• leakage control
• baseline models
• dashboard and edge-inference preparation
• future A/B comparison surface when Sal-Meter core signals become available

Public data rule:

No raw human data should be published here.
Public examples should use sample, synthetic, or schema-only materials.

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What is not open now

The following are not currently open public routes:

• broad public competition
• public SDK release
• certification or compliance recognition
• product launch
• medical / diagnostic use
• therapeutic positioning
• public claims implying completed validation
• broad external build race
• proxy stack as Sal-Meter

First, stabilize the kernel.
Then, open the field.

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Choose your route

If you are a PI, lab, or technical lead

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• For PIs: https://salpida.foundation/for-pis/
• PI Quick Decision Pack: https://salpida.foundation/publications/pi-quick-decision-pack/
• Sal-Meter Topic: https://salpida.foundation/topics/sal-meter/

Good fit if you can identify one bounded layer your lab can responsibly evaluate.

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If you are an External Layer-0 lab

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• For PIs: https://salpida.foundation/for-pis/

Good fit if you can reduce one interface uncertainty around iodine redox / thiol response, stability, repeatability, drift, controls, raw data, or metadata.

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If you are an aptamer / molecular-interface group

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• CAIS Topic: https://salpida.foundation/topics/cais/
• Sal-Meter Topic: https://salpida.foundation/topics/sal-meter/

Good fit if you can reduce one uncertainty around I₃⁻ target feasibility, molecular recognition, binding characterization, selectivity, cross-reactivity, immobilization suitability, or sensor-interface compatibility.

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If you are an ESL candidate

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• For PIs: https://salpida.foundation/for-pis/

Good fit if you can own physical consistency, electrochemical system stability, SOP discipline, drift control, repeatability, calibration, and internal lab readiness.

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If you are an EStL candidate

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• For PIs: https://salpida.foundation/for-pis/

Good fit if you can own metadata completeness, QC, audit trail, leakage prevention, reproducibility package logic, submission structure, and public-claims discipline.

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If you are a proxy benchmark contributor

Start here:

• Status: https://salpida.foundation/status/
• Sal-Meter Topic: https://salpida.foundation/topics/sal-meter/

Good fit if you can help build synchronized multimodal benchmark infrastructure without confusing proxy signals with the Sal-Meter core signal track.

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How to send a useful first email

Email:

contact@salpida.foundation

Subject line examples:

• External Layer-0 feasibility inquiry — [Lab / Institution Name]
• I₃⁻ / Aptamer G-Iodine development inquiry — [Lab / Institution Name]
• ESL candidate inquiry — [Name]
• EStL candidate inquiry — [Name]
• Proxy benchmark support inquiry — [Name / Team]

Your first message should include:

1. your role or lab type
2. which route you fit
3. your strongest relevant capability
4. one uncertainty you think you can reduce
5. whether a bounded 3–6 month feasibility or readiness path is realistic
6. whether raw data / metadata / audit trail expectations are acceptable

Do not send a broad partnership pitch first.
Send one bounded capability.

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Useful first-email template

Subject: [Route] inquiry — [Name / Lab / Team]

Dear Salpida Foundation / SICS team,

I am contacting you regarding the following route:

[Choose one]
- External Layer-0 feasibility inquiry
- I₃⁻ / Aptamer G-Iodine development inquiry
- ESL candidate inquiry
- EStL candidate inquiry
- Proxy benchmark support inquiry

My relevant capability is:

[Write 3–5 lines:
lab type, method, instrument, technical skill,
or evidence capability]

The specific uncertainty I may help reduce is:

[Write one bounded uncertainty]

A realistic first scope could be:

[Write a narrow 3–6 month feasibility,
review, or readiness scope]

I understand that the current program is:
- research-stage
- pre-opening
- non-clinical
- non-diagnostic
- non-therapeutic

I also understand that:
- GitHub is a helper surface.
- Canonical authority remains fixed in DOI / OSF records.
- This inquiry does not imply CAIS compliance, certification,
  validation, clinical status, or Sal-Meter designation.

Best regards,

[Name]
[Role]
[Institution / Team]
[Email]
[Relevant link, if any]

[salpida-foundation]

Status update — START HERE issue retained as public anchor.

This issue remains open and pinned as the current public navigation point for:

• External Layer-0 feasibility inquiry
• I₃⁻ / Aptamer G-Iodine inquiry
• ESL / EStL recruitment
• lab readiness
• proxy benchmark boundary routing

This issue is not a completion issue.

It remains a public orientation and routing surface only.

It does not create:

• Sal-Meter validation
• CAIS compliance
• certification
• device readiness
• production readiness
• clinical status
• diagnostic status
• therapeutic status
• public competition opening

Next execution work should be split into separate bounded issues.

Recommended execution issues:

1. [Layer-0] Candidate lab outreach tracker
2. [Layer-0] Mini-pilot SOW dispatch log
3. [Aptamer] I₃⁻ aptamer inquiry candidate tracker
4. [Recruiting] ESL / EStL outreach and screening tracker
5. [Lab readiness] Internal readiness checklist
6. [Data room] Controlled-access folder structure draft

Boundary retained:

Status first. Kernel first. Claims later.

This START HERE issue remains open.