Automated Microscope Slide Scanning via Industrial Robot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscope slide scanners require laborious manual loading and unloading, are inefficient in handling scanner failures, and result in prolonged scanning durations due to uneven workload distribution among scanners.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing a central feed unit, industrial robot, and multiple scanners to automate the loading, scanning, and unloading of microscope slides, ensuring continuous operation and balanced workload distribution, with the industrial robot managing the transfer of slides between scanners and a depositing device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual loading and unloading of microscope slides is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to laborious manual operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs an industrial robot that automatically loads microscope slides from the feed unit into scanners and unloads scanned slides into the depositing device, eliminating the need for manual loading and unloading operations. The robot autonomously manages the entire slide transfer process, significantly improving productivity while the automated nature maintains manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The feed unit serves as an intermediary storage device between manual slide preparation and the scanning process. It holds multiple microscope slides in a standardized format, allowing the robot to efficiently retrieve and load slides into scanners without requiring manual intervention for each slide, thus bridging the gap between manual preparation and automated scanning
2Productivity
If a single microscope slide scanner is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to scanner failures and uneven workload distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the scanning function into multiple independent scanner units that can operate simultaneously or independently. This segmentation allows the feed unit to distribute slides across multiple scanners, improving overall throughput and ensuring that a failure in one scanner does not halt the entire scanning process, as other scanners can continue operating
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational parameters of multiple scanners based on workload distribution and scanner status. The control system monitors scanner performance and redistributes scanning tasks to maintain optimal utilization of all scanner units, maximizing productivity while managing the complexity of coordinating multiple devices
3Loss of time
If microscope slides are scanned in succession by a single scanner, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of time increases due to scanner downtime and reloading
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous scanning operations by having the feed unit continuously supply slides to multiple scanners and the robot continuously load and unload slides. This eliminates idle time between scanning tasks and ensures that scanners remain productive throughout the process, significantly reducing total scanning duration
Solution Approach 2:
The feed unit pre-stores multiple microscope slides in a standardized configuration before the scanning process begins. This preliminary preparation allows the robot to immediately load slides into scanners without interruption, eliminating the time loss associated with manual reloading and ensuring continuous operation
Data Source
AI summary
A method for scanning microscope slides using a device with at least one feed unit for microscope slide holders, at least two microscope slide scanners, at least one depositing device, and at least one industrial robot, includes: a) loading the feed unit with at least one microscope slide holder, which holds at least one microscope slide, b) removing the microscope slide from the at least one microscope slide holder, c) inserting the removed microscope slide into one of the microscope slide scanners, d) removing the microscope slide from one of the microscope slide scanners, and e) depositing the microscope slide in the depositing device, wherein steps b) to e) are carried out by at least one industrial robot.