A method for performing microscopy-based imaging of samples comprises: loading a sample holder (100) onto a support (50) configured to receive the sample holder (100); moving the sample holder (100) in a first direction, from a starting position on a first strip of the sample holder (100), to move the sample holder (100) relative to an imaging line of a line camera (10), to capture an image of the first strip of the sample holder (100); monitoring a focal plane using an autofocus system (15) as the sample holder (100) is moved in the first direction; in response to a signal from the autofocus system (15), moving an objective lens (25) along the optical axis to adjust the focal plane; and moving the sample holder (100) in a second direction, to align the imaging line of the line camera (10) with a position on a second strip of the sample holder (100).

Methods and systems for automatically adjusting a sample position in a spectrometer, such as a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, are described. The sample may be automatically positioned using an auto-focusing procedure. For example, images including an aperture marker are acquired by directing light towards the sample via an aperture. The sample position may be adjusted based on features extracted from the aperture marker images.

A method for controlling microscopic imaging of a microscope includes providing a microscope control arrangement configured for receiving a focusing request and for receiving sample information on a sample to be imaged, wherein the microscope control arrangement activates, upon receipt of a focusing request and after having received the sample information, a predefined focusing setting depending on the sample information received for controlling focusing of the microscope for microscopic imaging of the sample.

A method of automatically determining boundaries of a z-stack of images of an object, the z-stack of the images acquired by imaging the object at different focal positions, is provided. The method includes generating a set of images of the object, each image being captured at a different focal position, and applying a blurriness-W metric function to each image. The blurriness-W metric function is a blurriness or sharpness metric function having a focal position as a variable, and shows a global extremum for maximal or minimal sharpness at the focal position and secondary extrema adjoining the global extremum. The method includes calculating, by the blurriness-W metric function, a metric value for each image, and based on the blurriness-W metric function showing a primary extremum and two of the secondary extrema adjoining the primary extremum, determining the z-stack boundaries in dependence of the focal positions assigned to the two secondary extrema.

An autofocus system includes a focus light source, an objective lens, a defocus lens, a first image sensor, and a controller. The defocus lens is disposed on the transmission path of the focus light beam, so that a minimum light point of the focus light beam passing through the objective lens deviates from a focus of the objective lens. The first image sensor is configured to receive a focus reflected light beam generated after the focus light beam is reflected by the sample. The controller is electrically connected to the first image sensor. According to a center change of gravity, a position change, or an energy change of a light spot formed by the focus reflected light beam on an image plane of the first image sensor, the controller drives the objective lens or the sample to move, so that the focus of the objective lens falls on the sample.

A system and method for optical sectioning in bright field microscopy (OSBM). The system includes a bright field optical microscope having automated change of focus, a substage condenser fitted with an adjustable aperture iris diaphragm, a digital camera that records the microscope image of samples, and one or more digital computers to perform digital image processing. The OSBM method comprises operating the microscope to Kohler illumination, using the iris diaphragm of the condenser to generate contrast in images, acquiring a Z-stack of images of the unstained sample, and applying a sequence of digital image processing filters to the Z-stack, resulting in optical sections from where the final three-dimensional (3D) image of the sample can be reconstructed by computational device. The final 3D images produced by this invention present quality comparable to that of available optical sectioning techniques that require sample labeling, such as light sheet fluorescence microscopy.

Methods and systems are provided for synchronizing image capture at a multi-detector imaging system. In one example, a method includes coordinating cycling of each microscope assembly of the multi-detector imaging system through a selection of illumination channels, each microscope assembly configured to obtain an image of a portion of one of more than one microplate wells simultaneously, to generate complete images of the more than one microplate wells concurrently.

To provide a microscopic imaging device in which a measuring object can be easily imaged using measurement light having a desired pattern, in which the pattern of measurement light can be changed and a phase of the pattern can be moved, without arranging a mechanical mechanism. An arbitrary pattern of a plurality of patterns of measurement light is instructed. The measurement light having an instructed pattern is generated by a light modulation element, and is applied on a measuring object. A spatial phase of the generated pattern is sequentially moved on the measuring object by a predetermined amount by the light modulation element. A plurality of pieces of pattern image data generated at a plurality of phases of the pattern is synthesized based on the light receiving signal output from the light receiving section to generate sectioning image data indicating an image of the measuring object.

An auto-focusing method for determining an in-focus position of a plurality of wells in at least a portion of a multi-well plate, the method including using a first objective lens having a first magnification to identify, in each of at least three wells of a selected subset of the plurality of wells, an in-focus position of each well with respect to the first objective lens, on the basis of at least three the in-focus positions, computing a plane along which the at least three wells will be in focus with respect to at least one objective lens having a second magnification that is not greater than the first magnification, and using the at least one objective lens to scan, along the plane, at least some of the plurality of wells in the portion of the plate.

An apparatus for enhancing an input phase distribution (I(x.sub.i)) is configured to retrieve the input phase distribution (I(x.sub.i)) and compute a baseline estimate (ƒ(x.sub.i)) as an estimate of a baseline (I.sub.2 (x.sub.i)) in the input phase distribution (I(x.sub.i)). The apparatus is further configured to obtain an output phase distribution (O(x.sub.i)) based on the baseline estimate (ƒ(x.sub.i)) and the input phase distribution (I(x.sub.i)).