The present invention relates to a fixation and body temperature maintaining apparatus for fixing a small animal in order to generate a high-resolution micro image of a predetermined tissue of the small animal within a biomicroscope with an object lens, which includes: a plate heater with a heat wire installed therein, on which the small animal is enabled to be directly placed; a glass heater holder fixed to a hole of the plate heater; and a glass heater fixed to the glass heater holder, and located above the tissue of the small animal and maintaining flatness of the tissue, and increasing a temperature of the tissue itself, in which a cover glass serving to adjust a refractive index of the object lens and a heat wire heater are integrally formed. In an embodiment of the present invention, a body temperature of a live small animal which is an object to be observed with a biomicroscope is maintained to be constant.

An apparatus for imaging a feature within a specimen is provided. According to one implementation the apparatus includes a substrate that is configured to support a specimen on an upper surface of the substrate so that the specimen resides over a hole that extends through the substrate. A heater is located vertically above the upper surface of the substrate. The heater is configured to heat the specimen when the specimen is supported on the substrate. An imaging device is located vertically below the lower surface of the substrate. The imaging device has an unobstructed line of sight to and through the hole in the substrate. The lower surface of the substrate is supported on a heat insulating platform in a manner that permits air to flow between the heat insulating platform and the lower surface of the substrate.

An apparatus for imaging a feature within a specimen is provided. According to one implementation the apparatus includes a substrate that is configured to support a specimen on an upper surface of the substrate so that the specimen resides over a hole that extends through the substrate. A heater is located vertically above the upper surface of the substrate. The heater is configured to heat the specimen when the specimen is supported on the substrate. An imaging device is located vertically below the lower surface of the substrate. The imaging device has an unobstructed line of sight to and through the hole in the substrate. The lower surface of the substrate is supported on a heat insulating platform in a manner that permits air to flow between the heat insulating platform and the lower surface of the substrate.

A microscope for examining a sample received in a sample carrier having a lid includes: a sample chamber for receiving the sample carrier; a microscope stage arranged below the sample chamber, the microscope stage being arranged to have the sample carrier arranged thereon; and a sample carrier handling device that is at least partially arranged within the sample chamber and that removes the lid from the sample carrier to provide access to the sample.

A controlling system is provided for operating an examination system configured for microscopic examination of a sample. The examination system includes a microscope, an incubation environment conditioning unit connected to the microscope, and a user interface. The examination system provides an incubation mode in which a sample chamber is incubated by supplying an incubation atmosphere generated by the incubation environment conditioning unit. The controlling system is configured to receive a target setpoint of at least one examination parameter upon user input via the user interface, select, based on the received at least one target setpoint, predefined adjustment setpoints for at least one incubation environment parameter of the incubation mode and for at least one microscope parameter, and operate the incubation environment conditioning unit and the microscope based on the selected adjustment setpoints.

A controlling system is provided for operating an examination system configured for microscopic examination of a sample. The examination system includes a microscope, an incubation environment conditioning unit connected to the microscope, and a user interface. The examination system provides an incubation mode in which a sample chamber is incubated by supplying an incubation atmosphere generated by the incubation environment conditioning unit. The controlling system is configured to receive a target setpoint of at least one examination parameter upon user input via the user interface, select, based on the received at least one target setpoint, predefined adjustment setpoints for at least one incubation environment parameter of the incubation mode and for at least one microscope parameter, and operate the incubation environment conditioning unit and the microscope based on the selected adjustment setpoints.

An image capturing mechanism includes: an optical measurement unit for optically observing a sample; a temperature conditioning unit for heating or cooling the sample, the temperature conditioning unit being mounted on a table by means of a support member; and a moving mechanism for moving the table in order to photograph the sample. The temperature conditioning unit includes: a temperature conditioning part for heating or cooling the sample, abutted on one face of a Peltier device; a heat conducting member abutted on the other face of the Peltier device; and the support member for holding the temperature conditioning part and the heat conducting member and securing the temperature conditioning part and the heat conducting member on the table. At least the heat conducting member is connected to a cooling means, and the thermal conductivity of the support member is low relative to the thermal conductivity of the heat conducting member.

A viewer device for observing and recording images of materials, such as chemical and biological materials is described. The viewer device includes a housing that provides a chamber for receiving a sample or a sample container that contains a sample of a material (e.g., chemical or biological material). The housing includes a viewing window for observing the sample, a port through which the sample or the sample container can be introduced to or removed from the chamber, and a coupling mechanism configured to removably and replaceably couple the housing to an observational device, such as a camera equipped device.

One embodiment includes a system for mounting a specimen on a slide, the system having an immersion chamber, a stage, and a pump. The immersion chamber is configured to hold a liquid and comprises at least one wall, a closed bottom, and an open top. The stage is configured to support the slide, and the stage is arranged within the immersion chamber such that the specimen may be supported substantially above the stage by the liquid. The pump is configured to draw the liquid from the immersion chamber such that the level of liquid in the immersion chamber decreases and the specimen is dispensed onto the slide.

One embodiment includes a system for mounting a specimen on a slide, the system having an immersion chamber, a stage, and a pump. The immersion chamber is configured to hold a liquid and comprises at least one wall, a closed bottom, and an open top. The stage is configured to support the slide, and the stage is arranged within the immersion chamber such that the specimen may be supported substantially above the stage by the liquid. The pump is configured to draw the liquid from the immersion chamber such that the level of liquid in the immersion chamber decreases and the specimen is dispensed onto the slide.