Light Stimulus Apparatus with Pre-computed Drive Waveforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser scanning microscopes experience significant waiting times between designating an area for light stimulus and initiating the light stimulus application, particularly when repeatedly changing or canceling designations, leading to inefficiencies in observation processes.
Innovation Solution
A light stimulus apparatus with a controlling unit that generates a selected position signal and executive instruction signal based on user input via a pointing device, allowing for immediate control of the light path and emission pattern, including wavelength, intensity, and duration, to synchronize with user operations, thereby reducing waiting times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the system calculates and writes the drive waveform into memory for the scanner based on coordinates of the designated area, then the light stimulus can be applied to the specified location, but a waiting time occurs between area designation and light stimulus application
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores the drive waveform for the scanner in memory before the user designates an area. When the user designates an area, the pre-stored drive waveform can be immediately executed without waiting for real-time calculation and writing, thus eliminating waiting time while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a copy of the drive waveform data that is pre-computed and stored in memory. Instead of calculating and writing the drive waveform in real-time when the user designates an area, the system retrieves the pre-computed drive waveform from memory, significantly reducing the waiting time while ensuring the same positioning accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system repeatedly calculates and writes drive waveforms when the user changes or cancels area designations, then the light stimulus can respond to user changes, but waiting time frequently occurs during repeated operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-prepares multiple drive waveforms for different areas in memory before the user begins designating areas. When the user changes or cancels area designations, the system can immediately retrieve and execute the appropriate pre-stored drive waveform without performing real-time calculations, enabling rapid response to user changes while eliminating repeated waiting times.
3Loss of time
If the system uses a pointing device to control light stimulus position in real-time, then waiting time is reduced, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism where the pointing device controls a cursor position on the display, and the cursor position is then used to select pre-computed drive waveforms from memory. This intermediary approach (display cursor as mediator) simplifies the control system by avoiding direct complex real-time calculations while still achieving real-time response and reducing waiting time.
Data Source
AI summary
A proposition is to reduce a waiting time during a light stimulus observation. In order to achieve the proposition, a light stimulus apparatus is characterized in that it includes a light path controlling unit that controls an irradiating position of light for stimulus on a specimen, and a controlling unit that generates a selected position signal of a selected position and an executive instruction signal for irradiation of the light for stimulus onto the specimen in conjunction with a confirm operation regarding the selected position performed by a pointing device on an image of the specimen displayed on a displaying unit, controls the light path controlling unit based on the selected position signal, and controls a light source which emits the light for stimulus based on the executive instruction signal.