Systems, methods, and apparatus for differential phase contrast microscopy by transobjective differential epi-detection of forward scattered light are provided. In some embodiments, a microscope objective comprises: a housing with mounting threads at a second end; optical components defining an optical axis, comprising: an objective lens mounted at a first end, configured to collect light from a sample placed in a field of view, the plurality of optical components create a pupil plane at a first distance along the optical axis at which rays having the same angle of incidence on the objective lens converge at the same radial distance from the optical axis; a photodetector within the housing offset from the optical axis at a second distance along the optical axis; and another photodetector within the housing at second distance along the optical axis and offset from the optical axis in the opposite direction from the first photodetector.

The invention relates to an autofocusable microscope objective having an optical system of a plurality of optical components each formed by a lens or lens group. Here, one of the plurality of optical components is a liquid lens to effect autofocusing of the microscope objective, and the optical system is formed as a stationary system.

A microscope simulation device includes a processor. The processor is configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of component information each indicating a technical specification of a corresponding microscope component, simulate an assembly of a microscope system based on the acquired plurality of pieces of component information, and output a generated simulation result to a display device.

An example apparatus includes a well plate having an array of wells, a light encoding layer positioned under the well plate, an imaging layer to capture an image of the well plate encoded by the light encoding layer, an array of electrodes positioned on a surface of a bottom floor of the at least one well, and a controller. The light encoding layer is to encode light passing through a microscopic object in at least one well of the array of wells. The light encoding layer has a substantially flat form. The controller is to direct electrical voltage to the electrodes to generate a non-rotating, non-uniform electrical field, the electrical field being to rotate an object in the electrical field.

A microscope device includes an opening (31) that includes a first slit and a second slit through which a plurality of pieces of light from an observation target resulting from a plurality of pieces of irradiation light emitted to the observation target and having different wavelengths pass, a dispersion element that wavelength-disperses the plurality of pieces of light passing through the opening (31), and an imaging element (32) that receives the plurality of pieces of light wavelength-dispersed by the dispersion element. The imaging element (32) performs light reception so that, as for the plurality of pieces of light wavelength-dispersed, zeroth-order light of light passing through the second slit and first-order light of light passing through the first slit do not overlap with each other.

The optical inspection device is used for inspecting a planar object surface for the presence of particles and/or defects. A light source supplies light to the planar object surface of the object at a grazing angle. An image sensor receives light due to scattering from particles and defects on the object surface. The optical axis of the objective is at non-zero angles with the normal to the planar object surface and a direction or directions of specular reflection of the light from the light source by the planar object surface. A detection surface of the image detection device and the optical axis of the objective is in a Scheimpflug configuration. The light source and image sensor are located outside a space extending perpendicularly from the planar object surface, on opposite sides of that space. The image sensor comprises an objective and an image detection device. The device may further comprise a microscope or spectrometer to access the object surface through said space.

Method for automatically setting at least a unit parameter for a medical unit or unit part with parameter values relating to a particular user. According to the method, a user is identified, a corresponding parameter set is selected and unit parameters are set with the selected parameter set. The preceding steps are only implemented when an authentication signal for activating the identification, selection and setting processes is received or present. The authentication signal can be based on use of a user priority database. The invention also relates to a corresponding medical unit and medical system.

A method is useable for digitally correcting an optical image of a sample by a microscope that has a cover slip covering the sample. The method includes: determining, by the microscope, an index of refraction of an optical medium bordering the cover slip, a tilt of the cover slip, and/or a thickness of the cover slip; ascertaining an imaging error to be corrected in the form of a pupil function based on the index of refraction of the optical medium, the tilt of the cover slip, and/or the thickness of the cover slip; carrying out imaging of the sample by the microscope; and digitally correcting image data captured by the imaging of the sample based on the pupil function.

An apparatus is proposed for identifying respective cover slip regions of respective cover slips having respective tissue sections on a specimen slide, which has multiple optical identifiers. The apparatus includes a planar light source, an image acquisition unit, a holding unit for positioning the specimen slide between the planar light source and the image acquisition unit, a slit diaphragm, which has multiple opening slits, reversibly positionable between the planar light source and the specimen slide, and an illumination unit, which is designed to illuminate that surface of the specimen slide which faces toward the image acquisition unit. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a monitoring unit which is designed, on the basis of a completely illuminated transmitted light image, an incident light image, and a partially darkened transmitted light image, to assign respective tissue sections to respective optical identifiers.

A method for enhancing digital images during a microsurgery, e.g., an eye surgery, includes collecting digital images of target anatomy using a digital camera as the target anatomy is illuminated by warm white light. The method includes identifying, via a processor in communication with the digital camera, a predetermined stage of the microsurgery. Within the images, the processor digitally isolates a first pixel region, e.g., a pupil pixel region, from a second pixel region, e.g., an iris pixel region, and adjusts a characteristic of constituent pixels thereof. The method, possibly recorded as instructions in a computer-readable medium, may be used to enhance a red reflex at predetermined stages of an eye surgery. A system includes a lighting source for emitting warm white light having a color temperature of less than about 4000° K, the camera, and the processor.