Microscope Image Synchronization via Timer-Mediated Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microscope apparatuses struggle to compare and observe image data from different image acquisition methods with varying timings, such as LSM and CCD, as they lack association with observation time, making it impossible to compare data acquired simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
An observation apparatus with a timer, multiple image acquisition units, a storage unit, a standard setting unit, and an image processing unit that associates and displays image information based on time information, allowing for comparison and observation of different types of image data along a common timeline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple image acquisition methods are used with different acquisition timings, then comprehensive image data can be obtained, but it becomes impossible to compare data acquired at specific times
Solution Approach 1:
The timer starts counting from the beginning of observation and continuously records time information before image acquisition occurs. This preliminary time recording ensures that when images are acquired at different timings by different methods, their time associations are already captured and stored, enabling later comparison without loss of temporal information.
Solution Approach 2:
The timer acts as an intermediary component that mediates between multiple image acquisition methods with different timings. By introducing this common time reference that all acquisition methods can relate to, the system enables association and comparison of images from different sources at specific observation times, resolving the information loss problem.
2Reliability
If image data from different acquisition methods are stored separately, then data integrity is maintained, but comparison and observation across methods becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The storage unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle both separate storage of image data from different acquisition methods and unified retrieval based on time associations. This universal storage capability maintains data integrity while enabling easy comparison by allowing the system to retrieve and display images from different methods that correspond to the same observation time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If image acquisition timings differ between methods, then each method can optimize its own timing, but synchronized comparison becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The timer serves as a common intermediary time reference that all image acquisition methods can independently relate to, regardless of their own acquisition timings. This allows each method to optimize its timing while the timer ensures that all acquired images can be associated with the correct observation time, maintaining synchronization information for comparison.
Data Source
AI summary
An observation apparatus compares a plurality of image information acquired in a specific time by a plurality of image acquisition methods whose image acquisition timings are different, and includes a timer for counting observation time, and a PMT and a CCD whose image information acquisition timings are different. A storage unit stores different image information, when acquired by the PMT and the CCD, by relating each type of the acquired image information to the observation information counted by the timer. A control unit sets a display standard to associate the different types of image information stored in the storage unit, according to the observation time that has been respectively related to these types of image information, and associates the different types of image information according to the time information, on the basis of the set display standard. A monitor displays the image information associated by the control unit.