An observation system includes a processor. The processor manages a plurality of images acquired in time series with respect to a biological sample which is being cultured, records a first comment and a first region of interest (RoI) in a storage device in association with the images based on user's instructions, and records a second comment and a second ROI in the storage device in association with the first comment based on user's instructions.

Described herein are systems and methods for assessing a biological sample. The methods include: characterizing a speckled pattern to be applied by a diffuser; positioning a biological sample relative to at least one coherent light source such that at least one coherent light source illuminates the biological sample; diffusing light produced by the at least one coherent light source; capturing a plurality of illuminated images with the embedded speckle pattern of the biological sample based on the diffused light; iteratively reconstructing the plurality of speckled illuminated images of the biological sample to recover an image stack of reconstructed images; stitching together each image in the image stack to create a whole slide image, wherein each image of the image stack at least partially overlaps with a neighboring image; and identifying one or more features of the biological sample. The methods may be performed by a near-field Fourier Ptychographic system.

Some embodiments described herein relate to a method that includes separating an analyte-containing sample via electrophoresis in a capillary. The capillary is loaded with a chemiluminescence agent, such as luminol, that is configured to react with the analyte (e.g., HRP-conjugated proteins) to produce a signal indicative of a concentration and/or quantity of analyte at each location along the length of the capillary. A first image of the capillary containing the analytes and the chemiluminescence agent is captured over a first period of time. A second image of the capillary containing the analytes and the chemiluminescence agent is captured over a second, longer, period of time. A concentration and/or quantity of a first population of analytes at a first location is determined using the first image, and a concentration and/or quantity of a second population of analytes at a second location is determined using the second image.

An imaging system and method for microbial growth detection, counting or identification. One colony may be contrasted in an image that is not optimal for another type of colony. The system and method provides contrast from all available material through space (spatial differences), time (differences appearing over time for a given capture condition) and color space transformation using image input information over time to assess whether microbial growth has occurred for a given sample.

The invention relates generally to both a method and apparatus for the creation of full resolution color digital images of diagnostic cassettes or objects of interest using a gray-scale digital camera or sensor combined with time sequential illumination using additive primary colors followed by post exposure digital processing. Such procedures and equipment is of significant economic value when employed in situations such as diagnostic clinical analyzers where space is limited and image quality requirements are high.

A method to image an in vivo object in an eye includes illuminating an object in the eye by a light source; configuring one or more detectors to receive light from a conjugate plane behind a confocal plane of the object, the conjugate plane acting as a light screen; receiving at the one or more detectors a backscattered light from the light source which has been refracted at least in part by the object before being backscattered from the light screen to provide a detector data; and processing the detector data over a time period by a computer to generate information about the object.

A parasite analysis system includes a pressure vessel configured to store a biological sample, an imaging cell connected to the pressure vessel, and a waste depository connected to the imaging cell. An input valve controls whether biological sample can flow from the pressure vessel into the imaging cell and an output valve controls whether biological sample can flow from the imaging cell into the waste depository. The parasite analysis system also includes a camera that captures a chronological set of images of a portion of the biological sample in the imaging cell and an image analysis system that analyzes the chronological set of images to generate an estimate of a number of parasites in the portion of the biological sample. Estimates for multiple portions of the biological sample may be generated and sampling techniques used to estimate the number of parasites in the entire biological sample.

A system and method for image-guided microscopic illumination are provided. A processing module controls an imaging assembly such that a camera acquires an image or images of a sample in multiple fields of view, and the image or images are automatically transmitted to a processing module and processed by the first processing module automatically in real-time based on a predefined criterion so as to determine coordinate information of an interested region in each field of view. The processing module also controls an illuminating assembly to illuminate the interested region of the sample according to the received coordinate information regarding to the interested region, with the illumination patterns changing among the fields of view.

A system and method for constructing a digital composite image of a three-dimensional biological sample. The system includes an optical system that captures images of cells and tissue presented on a specimen slide. The system systematically acquires a stack of images at different segments across the specimen slide. For each segment, the system dynamically calculates an optimal focal plane. Once an optimal focal plane is determined for each of the stacks of images, the system generates a composite image by copying the sharpest objects from each of the optimal focal planes.

A device may include an input component and a focus control component. The focus control component may receive, from the input component, an input associated with adjusting a focus of a field of view of the device. The focus control component may determine whether an area of interest is present in the field of view. The focus control component may adjust, based on determining that the area of interest is not present in the field of view, the focus of the field of view at a focus speed associated with the input, or, based on determining that the area of interest is present in the field of view, may determine one or more parameters for modifying the focus speed, modify the focus speed based on the one or more parameters, and adjust the focus of the field of view at the modified focus speed.