Grid-Shaped Light Sheet Microscopy for Gentle Sample Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light sheet microscopy methods require high light power and lengthy scanning times to generate an image of a sample, leading to potential sample damage and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method using a grid-shaped light sheet of a specific wavelength range to inhomogeneously illuminate the sample, combined with a machine learning system to reconstruct non-illuminated or weakly illuminated areas based on captured light from more strongly illuminated areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sample is irradiated intensively using high light power to ensure sufficient signal, then the image quality is improved, but the sample may be damaged and the imaging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sample into multiple planes and irradiates them sequentially using a grid-shaped light sheet that scans through the sample. This segmentation allows low light power to be used for each individual plane while still achieving complete image coverage through sequential scanning, thereby preventing sample damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic scanning of the light sheet through the sample planes in a systematic sequence. This periodic action enables the sample to be irradiated repeatedly at low power across multiple cycles, accumulating sufficient signal for image reconstruction without causing damage from continuous high power irradiation.
2Measurement precision
If the sample is scanned plane by plane using a movable mirror to achieve homogeneous illumination, then the imaging completeness is improved, but the imaging time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-defines a grid-shaped light sheet pattern that systematically covers the entire sample plane before actual imaging begins. This preliminary arrangement of illumination zones allows for rapid sequential scanning without requiring time-consuming adaptive adjustments during the imaging process, thus reducing total imaging time while maintaining completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic scanning approach where the grid-shaped light sheet moves systematically through the sample planes in a controlled sequence. This dynamic scanning enables efficient coverage of all planes without redundant movements, achieving complete imaging in reduced time compared to static or random scanning methods.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the light sheet position is changed using dithering method to homogeneously illuminate the sample plane, then the illumination uniformity is improved, but the imaging speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the illumination process into a grid pattern where specific zones are illuminated in a systematic sequence. This segmentation allows the light sheet to cover the entire sample plane efficiently without requiring slow dithering movements, achieving both uniformity and speed by planning the illumination paths in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the illumination parameters by using a grid-shaped light sheet with specific spatial frequencies and patterns rather than continuous scanning. This parameter change enables rapid illumination of multiple zones simultaneously while maintaining uniformity through the structured grid pattern, significantly increasing imaging speed compared to traditional dithering methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces light power usage and shortens imaging time, allowing for quick and gentle image generation of samples while maintaining high reconstruction accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
capturing the light emitted from the sample due to the radiating of the first light sheet of the first wavelength range onto the sample
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating an image of a sample includes radiating a first grid-shaped light sheet of a first wavelength range onto the sample in such a way that the sample is inhomogeneously illuminated by the first light sheet, capturing the light emitted by the sample due to the radiating of the first light sheet of the first wavelength range onto the sample; and reconstructing first areas of the sample, which are not illuminated or are more weakly illuminated using the first light sheet of the first wavelength range, on the basis of the captured light of the second areas of the sample, which are more strongly illuminated using the light sheet of the first wavelength range, by means of a machine learning system.