Acquisition

AFA is an add-on module that plugs into Image-Pro Plus or Image-Pro Discovery, and Scope-Pro®. It uses the microscope and peripheral control capabilities of Scope-Pro to configure the system for each image captured in the series. The user interface is laid out in a logical flow of work via tab dialogs from left to right. The acquisition parameters may be saved to disk or in a database, recalled, reported or accessed via macro programming.

Channel Management

Using Scope-Pro configuration settings files, images can be directed to individual channels. While fluorescence wavelengths are the most common channel type, DIC, RGB and other modes can be defined. Descriptive input settings (e.g. Numerical Aperture or Refractive Index) are stored and can be read and used automatically with the SharpStack deconvolution and 3D Constructor plug-in modules.

Exposure

Full exposure control is available individually across all channels. The user may specify a color composite to be built automatically as the image set is acquired. Convenient testing options ensure that no time is wasted in method development and an optimum image set is produced. For best results, background correction may be implemented.

Focus

Extended Depth of Field (EDF) gives the operator numerous options for control of Z-stacks that can adjust automatically over the run. A full stack can be returned for later deconvolution and rendering. Or a single best-focused frame can be returned. Stage drift can be corrected through tracking the best starting plane.

Stage

Landmarks can be assigned and used for alignment or random location acquisition. Alternatively, a regular pattern (such as a 96-well plate) can be configured. Tiling may be specified to build large images from location acquisitions limited by field of view.

Time

Specify the number of timed cycles at selected intervals or have the fastest cycle time calculated automatically. Once again, testing in advance ensures success of the run.

Preview

Multiple image sets can take a long time to collect. You don't want to discover at the end of a run that the parameters weren't quite right. The preview function reassures the user that what is wanted is selected.

Set Manager

Organizing, extracting and displaying multiple image sets is a tremendous challenge. The elegant, simple interface of Set Manager unlocks the information within those sets. Use it to play a movie showing changes along any single dimension at user-selectable positions along the remaining dimensions. The currently active data set can be extracted as a separate sequence and stored in .seq or .avi file formats that can be shared with other software for presentation and reporting. It provides clear parameter display so the user may understand how the data was collected (or assembled from separate sources) and documented. Set information may be stored and recalled via a database or via files.