Microscope Stage Position Tracking With Vessel Map Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users analyzing samples with microscopes can lose track of which portions of the sample vessel they are observing, particularly when adjusting a movable stage, reducing sample analysis efficiency and making it difficult to recall the location of structures of interest.
Innovation Solution
A sample analyzer with a movable stage equipped with positional encoders to track the stage's position in multiple dimensions, displaying a vessel map and a viewing position marker to intuitively indicate the relative positioning of the microscope objective to the sample vessel, allowing for intuitive navigation and saving of viewing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a movable stage is used to allow viewing of different sample wells, then the ability to view different portions of the sample vessel is improved, but users lose track of viewing positions and analysis efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the position of the movable stage using position encoders and provides real-time feedback to the user through a display showing a vessel map with a marker indicating the current viewing position. This feedback loop enables users to track their location across multiple wells without losing orientation, thereby maintaining analysis efficiency while viewing different sample portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy or map representation of the sample vessel layout on the display, which replicates the physical arrangement of wells. This virtual map allows users to mentally correlate the displayed view with the actual sample vessel, preventing disorientation during navigation across multiple wells.
2Loss of information
If users repeatedly adjust the movable stage to view different sample wells, then comprehensive sample coverage is improved, but users fail to recall viewing positions and analysis efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The position encoder continuously tracks stage movements and provides real-time feedback through the vessel map display, showing users their current location relative to previously viewed areas. This prevents information loss about viewing positions without requiring users to mentally track movements, thereby maintaining analysis efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessel map display acts as an intermediary between the physical stage position and the user's cognitive understanding of their location. Instead of relying on direct memory of stage movements, users interact with the visual map that translates complex positional information into an intuitive spatial representation.
3Quantity of substance
If sample vessels include large sample areas and many wells, then sample capacity is improved, but users lose track of viewing positions and analysis efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the large sample vessel into discrete, manageable units (wells) and represents each on the vessel map display. This segmentation allows users to navigate complex multi-well vessels by focusing on individual well positions rather than attempting to track continuous movements across the entire large sample area, thereby improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a visual dimension to stage position tracking by displaying a 2D vessel map that represents the spatial arrangement of wells. This transforms the abstract concept of stage position into a concrete visual representation, making navigation through large multi-well vessels more intuitive and easier to operate.
Data Source
AI summary
A sample analyzer is configured to obtain first and second stage position data. The first stage position data indicates a first position of a movable stage in a first dimension, and the second stage position data indicates a second position of the movable stage in a second (perpendicular) dimension. The sample analyzer is configured to, based on the first and second stage position data, determine a viewing position of one or more viewing or imaging optics relative to the movable stage. The sample analyzer is configured to display a vessel map, which comprises a visual representation of a sample vessel associated with the movable stage. The sample analyzer is configured to display a viewing position marker overlaid on the vessel map. The viewing position marker indicates the viewing position of the one or more viewing or imaging optics relative to the sample vessel as represented by the vessel map.