A microscope including an illumination assembly, an image capture device and a processor can be configured to selectively identify regions of a sample including artifacts or empty space. By selectively identifying regions of the sample that have artifacts or empty space, the amount of time to generate an image of the sample and resources used to generate the image can be decreased substantially while providing high resolution for appropriate regions of the computational image. The processor can be configured to change the imaging process in response to regions of the sample that includes artifacts or empty space. The imaging process may include a higher resolution process to output higher resolution portions of the computational image for sample regions including valid sample material, and a lower resolution process to output lower resolution portions of the computational image for sample regions including valid sample material.

The present invention provides for assessing biological samples for developmental viability utilising microscopy by contemporaneously capturing bright field and dark field images of a biological sample within a time lapse measurement interval.

A fluorescence microscopy inspection system includes light sources able to emit light that causes a specimen to fluoresce and light that does not cause a specimen to fluoresce. The emitted light is directed through one or more filters and objective channels towards a specimen. A ring of lights projects light at the specimen at an oblique angle through a darkfield channel. One of the filters may modify the light to match a predetermined bandgap energy associated with the specimen and another filter may filter wavelengths of light reflected from the specimen and to a camera. The camera may produce an image from the received light and specimen classification and feature analysis may be performed on the image.

A microscope including an illumination assembly, an image capture device and a processor can be configured to selectively identify regions of a sample including artifacts or empty space. By selectively identifying regions of the sample that have artifacts or empty space, the amount of time to generate an image of the sample and resources used to generate the image can be decreased substantially while providing high resolution for appropriate regions of the computational image. The processor can be configured to change the imaging process in response to regions of the sample that includes artifacts or empty space. The imaging process may include a higher resolution process to output higher resolution portions of the computational image for sample regions including valid sample material, and a lower resolution process to output lower resolution portions of the computational image for sample regions including valid sample material.

Methods, devices, systems, and apparatuses are provided for the image analysis of measurement of biological samples.

A fluorescence microscopy inspection system includes light sources able to emit light that causes a specimen to fluoresce and light that does not cause a specimen to fluoresce. The emitted light is directed through one or more filters and objective channels towards a specimen. A ring of lights projects light at the specimen at an oblique angle through a darkfield channel. One of the filters may modify the light to match a predetermined bandgap energy associated with the specimen and another filter may filter wavelengths of light reflected from the specimen and to a camera. The camera may produce an image from the received light and specimen classification and feature analysis may be performed on the image.

A method and device for counting colonies in a sample in a medium. A bright field image is generated from light transmitted through the sample and the medium in a bright field configuration and collected by a detection unit, and a dark field image is generated from light scattered from the sample and the medium in a dark field configuration and collected by a detection unit. A fusion image is generated by a computer processing unit by combining two operand images, one an inverted image of the bright field image, and the other the dark field image. Colonies of the sample are counted by the computer processing unit based on processing of the fusion image. A single detection unit can generate the bright and dark field images, or the detection units can be separate. Light and dark diffusing surfaces can be separately retained or formed by a single diffuser.

An observation apparatus including: a light-source that emits illumination light and excitation light upward from below a specimen; and an image-capturing optical system having an objective lens that focuses, below the specimen, transmitted light, which is the illumination light that is emitted from the light-source, that is reflected above the specimen, and that has passed through the specimen, and fluorescence that is generated in the specimen that has been irradiated with the excitation light emitted from the light-source, wherein the light-source is disposed radially outside the objective lens.

A process is provided for imaging a surface of a specimen with an imaging system that employs a BD objective having a darkfield channel and a bright field channel, the BD objective having a circumference. The specimen is obliquely illuminated through the darkfield channel with a first arced illuminating light that obliquely illuminates the specimen through a first arc of the circumference. The first arced illuminating light reflecting off of the surface of the specimen is recorded as a first image of the specimen from the first arced illuminating light reflecting off the surface of the specimen, and a processor generates a 3D topography of the specimen by processing the first image through a topographical imaging technique. Imaging apparatus is also provided as are further process steps for other embodiments.

A photocathode is formed on a monocrystalline silicon substrate having opposing illuminated (top) and output (bottom) surfaces. To prevent oxidation of the silicon, a thin (e.g., 1-5 nm) boron layer is disposed directly on the output surface using a process that minimizes oxidation and defects. An optional second boron layer is formed on the illuminated (top) surface, and an optional anti-reflective material layer is formed on the second boron layer to enhance entry of photons into the silicon substrate. An optional external potential is generated between the opposing illuminated (top) and output (bottom) surfaces. The photocathode forms part of novel electron-bombarded charge-coupled device (EBCCD) sensors and inspection systems.