Color translating UV microscope
First Claim
1. A microscope for translating spectral information to a visible color image in which light from a source is separated into components by either a set of two or more filters or a device for providing wavelength limited light and then passed through or reflected off an sample then imaged by an objective lens onto a video camera where it is converted to visible light by a fluorescent coating on the photosensitive surface of video camera which provides the image as an electronic signal which is then converted into electronic data by a video to computer interface system and then recombined into a multicolor image by computer processing finally creating a color visible image on a display monitor where the computer is supplied with information on the position of the filters or wavelength limited light in order to synchronize acquisition of the images and the color translation and recombination process.
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Abstract
A color translating UV microscope for research and clinical applications involving imaging of living or dynamic samples in real time and providing several novel techniques for image creation, optical sectioning, dynamic motion tracking and contrast enhancement comprises a light source emitting UV light, and visible and IR light if desired. This light is directed to the condenser via a means of selecting monochromatic, bandpass, shortpass, longpass or notch limited light. The condenser can be a brightfield, darkfield, phase contrast or DIC. The slide is mounted in a stage capable of high speed movements in the X, Y and Z dimensions. The microscope uses broadband, narrowband or monochromat optimized objectives to direct the image of the sample to an image intensifier or UV sensitive video system. When an image intensifier is used it is either followed by a video camera, or in the simple version, by a synchronized set of filters which translate the image to a color image and deliver it to an eyepiece for viewing by the microscopist. Between the objective and the image intensifier there can be a selection of static or dynamic switchable filters. The video camera, if used, produces an image which is digitized by an image capture board in a computer. The image is then reassembled by an overlay process called color translation and the computer uses a combination of feedback from the information in the image and operator control to perform various tasks such as optical sectioning and three dimensional reconstruction, coordination of the monochromater while collecting multiple images sets called image planes, tracking dynamic sample elements in three space, control of the environment of the slide including electric, magnetic, acoustic, temperature, pressure and light levels, color filters and optics, control for microscope mode switching between transmitted, reflected, fluorescent, Raman, scanning, confocal, area limited, autofluorescent, acousto-optical and other modes.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A microscope for translating spectral information to a visible color image in which light from a source is separated into components by either a set of two or more filters or a device for providing wavelength limited light and then passed through or reflected off an sample then imaged by an objective lens onto a video camera where it is converted to visible light by a fluorescent coating on the photosensitive surface of video camera which provides the image as an electronic signal which is then converted into electronic data by a video to computer interface system and then recombined into a multicolor image by computer processing finally creating a color visible image on a display monitor where the computer is supplied with information on the position of the filters or wavelength limited light in order to synchronize acquisition of the images and the color translation and recombination process.
- 5. A microscope for translating spectral information to a visible color image in which light from one or more sources is separated into components by either a set of two or more filters or a device for providing wavelength limited light and then passed through or reflected off an sample then imaged onto the input of an image intensifier by an objective lens then converted to visible light by the image intensifier or other wavelength translating device the output of which is then imaged on the input of a video camera which provides the image as an electronic signal which is then converted into electronic data by a video to computer interface system and then recombined into a multicolor image by computer processing finally creating a color visible image on a display monitor where the computer is supplied with information on the position of the filters or wavelength limited light in order to synchronize acquisition of the images and the color translation and recombination process.
- 7. A microscope for translating spectral information to a visible color image in which light from a source which emits narrow spectral lines, as opposed to a continuum of spectra, is separated into components after passing through an sample and is then converted to visible polychromatic light by a converter such as an image intensifier and is then recombined into a multicolor image by a combining images captured by a video camera, video interface and computer where such images are synchronized with the filter system.
- 16. An optical microscope system where an image intensifier and CCD camera combined with a computerized image capture and image processing system is used to convert images collected in wavelengths outside the normal range of human vision, such as soft x-ray, UV or IR, to visible images and where, while at least one of the images collected is in the range 200 nanometers to 300 nanometers, some of the other images used to produce the final color image can be collected in the range from 300 to 3300 nanometers.
Specification