I'm just back from LCWS 2007, the Linear Collider Workshop on physics and detectors for the ILC. It ran concurrently to ILC 2007, the Global Design Effort meeting working on the design of the accelerator itself.
To my mind, the two major developments at the workshop were:
1. The detector concepts are being encourage to work to the same timeline as the design for the machine. Letters of intent for the detector should be prepared by Summer 2008. These should then be followed by "engineering design report" by roughly the end of 2009.
2. Two of the detector concept groups, LDC and GLD, have decided to work together and produce a joint letter of intent. The detectors concepts were already very similar: both had a gaseous tracker and a energy flow calorimeter. Therefore there are now only three detector concepts: LDC/GLD, SiD and the 4th concept.
I think it's important to commit to working with one (or more) of the detector concept collaborations soon!
