A collecting apparatus for bacteria includes: a laser beam source configured to emit a laser beam; and a container configured to hold a dispersion liquid in which a plurality of bacteria are dispersed. The container has a bottom surface and an inner side surface. A thin film for converting the laser beam from the laser beam source into heat is formed on the bottom surface. At the inner side surface, immersion wetting occurs by the dispersion liquid when the inner side surface comes into contact with the dispersion liquid. The thin film is configured to produce a thermal convection in the dispersion liquid by heating the dispersion liquid. The inner side surface is configured to produce a Marangoni convection at a gas-liquid interface as an interface between the dispersion liquid and gas around the dispersion liquid.

An inverted microscope is provided, the inverted microscope including a microscope stage which includes an opening prepared for transmitted light illumination and which is designed to receive a sample holder and an imaging optical unit arranged below the microscope stage. A closed lower incubation space which surrounds at least the imaging optical unit is arranged adjacent to a lower side of the microscope stage. The inverted microscope is configured such that a temperature in the lower incubation space is adjustable to a specifiable target temperature, for the purposes of which at least one temperature sensor is arranged in the lower incubation space, the measurement signal of the at least one temperature sensor serving to set the specifiable target temperature.

An inverted microscope is provided, the inverted microscope including a microscope stage which includes an opening prepared for transmitted light illumination and which is designed to receive a sample holder and an imaging optical unit arranged below the microscope stage. A closed lower incubation space which surrounds at least the imaging optical unit is arranged adjacent to a lower side of the microscope stage. The inverted microscope is configured such that a temperature in the lower incubation space is adjustable to a specifiable target temperature, for the purposes of which at least one temperature sensor is arranged in the lower incubation space, the measurement signal of the at least one temperature sensor serving to set the specifiable target temperature.

A system for microscopic examination of a sample has a microscope and an incubation environment conditioning unit connected to the microscope. The microscope has a microscope housing enclosing an illumination optics, a microscope stage and an imaging optics, an integrated sample chamber located within the microscope housing and formed by a separated housing section within the microscope housing. The housing section has a microscope interface for connecting the incubation environment conditioning unit to the sample chamber and/or to a stage top chamber for placing within the sample chamber and for receiving the sample. The system provides a first and a second incubation modes. In the first incubation mode the sample chamber is incubated by supply of a first incubation atmosphere by the incubation environment conditioning unit. In the second incubation mode the stage top chamber is incubated by supply of a second incubation atmosphere by the incubation environment conditioning unit.

The portable device (1) for quality control of semen comprises a housing (10) and within an inner space (11) of the housing, an accumulator (20), a processor unit (30) and a sample storing unit (40) for fixing a sample transporting cell (90), wherein the device (1) is further provided with a microscope unit (50) comprising a camera unit (51) secured to the housing (10), an optical unit (52) connected to the camera unit (51) and a light source (53) illuminating the sample transporting cell (90) during use, and wherein the sample storing unit (40) is arranged inside the housing (10) at the upper side of the housing (10) or adjacent thereto, wherein the light source (53) is arranged on the outer side of the sample storing unit (40) and connected to the housing (10), wherein the camera unit (51) is arranged in the inner space (11) of the housing, on the inner side of the sample storing unit (40) in such a configuration that the distance between the supporting plane (41) of the sample storing unit (40) and the light sensor of the camera unit (51) is at most 35 mm, and wherein the optical unit (52) is arranged between the camera unit (51) and the sample storing unit (40).

The portable device (1) for quality control of semen comprises a housing (10) and within an inner space (11) of the housing, an accumulator (20), a processor unit (30) and a sample storing unit (40) for fixing a sample transporting cell (90), wherein the device (1) is further provided with a microscope unit (50) comprising a camera unit (51) secured to the housing (10), an optical unit (52) connected to the camera unit (51) and a light source (53) illuminating the sample transporting cell (90) during use, and wherein the sample storing unit (40) is arranged inside the housing (10) at the upper side of the housing (10) or adjacent thereto, wherein the light source (53) is arranged on the outer side of the sample storing unit (40) and connected to the housing (10), wherein the camera unit (51) is arranged in the inner space (11) of the housing, on the inner side of the sample storing unit (40) in such a configuration that the distance between the supporting plane (41) of the sample storing unit (40) and the light sensor of the camera unit (51) is at most 35 mm, and wherein the optical unit (52) is arranged between the camera unit (51) and the sample storing unit (40).

An apparatus and method for simultaneous imaging and execution of contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen. The apparatus includes a laser adapted to dynamically heat the specimen, a microscope with an objective adapted to image at least a part of the specimen and to guide a light beam of the laser into and/or onto the specimen to heat at least one specified location of the specimen, means for manipulating the specified location, and a sample chamber for the specimen that is accessible for imaging radiation and the light beam to allow simultaneous imaging and manipulation of the sample via the objective.

An apparatus and method for simultaneous imaging and execution of contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen. The apparatus includes a laser adapted to dynamically heat the specimen, a microscope with an objective adapted to image at least a part of the specimen and to guide a light beam of the laser into and/or onto the specimen to heat at least one specified location of the specimen, means for manipulating the specified location, and a sample chamber for the specimen that is accessible for imaging radiation and the light beam to allow simultaneous imaging and manipulation of the sample via the objective.

A system for microscopic examination of a sample has a microscope and an incubation environment conditioning unit connected to the microscope. The microscope has a microscope housing enclosing an illumination optics, a microscope stage and an imaging optics, an integrated sample chamber located within the microscope housing and formed by a separated housing section within the microscope housing. The housing section has a microscope interface for connecting the incubation environment conditioning unit to the sample chamber and/or to a stage top chamber for placing within the sample chamber and for receiving the sample. The system provides a first and a second incubation modes. In the first incubation mode the sample chamber is incubated by supply of a first incubation atmosphere by the incubation environment conditioning unit. In the second incubation mode the stage top chamber is incubated by supply of a second incubation atmosphere by the incubation environment conditioning unit.

The invention relates to a microscope for microscopic examination of a sample comprising a microscope housing enclosing an illumination optics, a microscope stage and an imaging optics, an integrated sample chamber located within the microscope housing and formed by a separated housing section within said microscope housing, the housing section comprising a lid providing direct access to the microscope stage for placing the sample in the sample chamber, wherein said housing section comprises an interface for connection of an external incubation environment conditioning unit to the sample chamber, the interface being configured to provide a connection between said external incubation environment conditioning unit and the sample chamber, such that the environmental conditions in the sample chamber can be controlled when the external incubation environment conditioning unit is connected to the interface.