Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Olympus Corporation

Hisao Kitagawa

Yoshihiro Shimada

Yusuke Yamashita

Yasuo Inoue

Kazuhiko Osa

Masakazu Shimada

Hiroya Fukuyama

Shingo Kashima

Yasushi Aono

Kosuke Takagi

Yasunari Matsukawa

Itaru Endo

Yosuke Kishi

Tadafumi Fujihara

Mitsunori Yamamoto

Visual observation of morphological features of a cell group or individual cells acquired in 3D image data is facilitated, thus improving observation accuracy. Provided is an image processing device that generates, on the basis of a plurality of 2D images acquired by a microscope at different focus positions on a cell clump, 3D images of respective cells constituting the cell clump, that processes the generated 3D images and analyzes feature amounts on the basis of at least one measurement parameter, that displays analysis results in a graph, that allows a user to select a region of interest on the displayed graph, and that generates, from the 3D images that correspond to the plurality of cells that are included in the selected region of interest, 2D display images each in a plane with reference to an axis that is determined on the basis of a shape feature of the corresponding cell and displays the 2D display images in a list.

Image processing device and microscope system

A superior superresolution image can be generated. Provided is a specimen observation apparatus including an objective lens that radiates excitation laser light emitted from a light source onto a specimen; and a main controller that obtains a plurality of sets of image data of the same region on the specimen by repeatedly detecting fluorescence from the same region on the specimen irradiated with the excitation laser light by the objective lens, and that emphasizes high-frequency components in an addition image data obtained by adding the obtained plurality of sets of image data of the same region on the specimen.

Specimen observation apparatus

A sample observation apparatus includes a memory and a main controller. The main controller stores a first number of photoelectrons required in a raw image for generating a super-resolution image. The main controller calculates the number of image data sets to be added together for generating the raw image based on the first number of photoelectrons stored in the memory and a predetermined image acquisition condition, acquires multiple sets of image data of the same region of a sample by repeatedly detecting light from the same region based on the calculated number of image data sets, and generates the raw image by adding together the acquired multiple sets of image data of the same region.

Sample observation apparatus and method for generating observation image of sample

Provided is a microscope system including a motor-driven stage on which is mounted a culture vessel containing one or more cell clusters, each including cells having a target molecule labeled with a fluorescent or luminescent chemical; a low-magnification-image acquiring unit that acquires low-magnification images of the cell clusters in the culture vessel mounted on the stage; a detecting unit that detects the position of each cell cluster in the culture vessel by analyzing the acquired low-magnification images; and a high-magnification-image acquiring unit that, after the detected position is aligned with the optical axis of an objective lens, acquires slice images of fluorescence or luminescence emitted from the cells forming the cell cluster at a higher magnification than the low-magnification-image acquiring unit at intervals along the optical axis while the stage and/or the lens is moved to change stepwise the distance between the lens and the cell cluster.

Microscope system and microscopy method

An image having an expected superresolution effect is created in a straightforward manner and with superior precision. The invention provides a scanning laser microscope including a scanner that scans a laser beam emitted from an Ar laser device on a specimen; an objective lens that radiates the laser beam scanned by the scanner onto the specimen and that collects return light coming from the specimen; a detector array that has a plurality of minute detector elements arrayed at a position that is optically conjugate with the focal position of the objective lens; and a superresolution calculating portion that calculates a center position of a spot of the return light that is incident on the detector array on the basis of a light intensity signal output from each of the minute detector elements in the detector array.

Scanning laser microscope

A still-picture acquisition section in a computer selects a brightness-periodically-varying portion of image data of a living cell like a cardiac cell, as a sample, which makes a self-ordered periodic motion, monitors a change in brightness, generates a trigger signal at the timing at which the value of the brightness exceeds a specific threshold value, causes a camera body to repeatedly pick up the image of the living cell after a predetermined delay time, and then averages the picked-up images. This makes it possible to acquire as high-quality still pictures the instantaneous status of a living cell which varies with time in accordance with the application of external stimulation or the in-vivo order.

Still-picture acquisition method and apparatus applied to microscope

A confocal microscope apparatus includes a disk scanner for scanning a specimen with a laser beam, and camera main body for photographing a still image. An exposure time calculation circuit is arranged to generates an exposure time signal for the camera main body. A rotation sensor, a scan track start point/end point determination circuit, and a rotation period calculation circuit are arranged to generate a rotational period signal for the disk scanner. A comparator compares the exposure time signal with the rotational period signal, so that a motor controller and a motor driver control rotation of a motor of the disk scanner by a comparison output from the comparator.

Confocal microscope apparatus and photographing apparatus for confocal microscope

A microscope according to the invention comprises an aberration correcting objective lens facing a specimen and having an aberration correcting lens correcting an aberration due to an error in the thickness of a cover, a Petri dish or a slide glass; a moving amount detector detecting moving amount of the aberration correcting lens; a focusing unit moving the specimen; a driver unit driving the focusing unit; and an arithmetic unit obtaining a defocus amount based on a moving amount detected by the moving amount detector. When the aberration correcting lens is moved, the specimen is put out of focus. On the basis of a defocus amount obtained by the arithmetic unit, the driver unit drives the focusing unit so that the lens may focus on the specimen.

Microscope with aberration correcting function

An inverted microscope is provided that reflects an observation light passing through an image-formation optical system upward using at least one reflection optical system and that leads the observation light to an observation path. The inverted microscope includes a confocal scanner arranged at an image surface position of the image-formation optical system, a light source for applying light onto a sample through the confocal scanner and the image-formation optical system, and a confocal image formation optical system that leads the light passing through the confocal scanner to the sample through the image-formation optical system, returns a return light from the sample to the confocal scanner along a route opposite to that for leading the light to the sample, and obtains a confocal image. A confocal observation optical system is also provided for leading the return light from the sample passing through the optical scanner to the observation optical path.

Inverted confocal microscope

A laser beam from a light source is reflected by a beam splitter and two galvanomirrors, and enters a pupil projection lens. The beam passing through the lens forms a spot on an image plane of an objective. This spot is two-dimensionally scanned by shaking the galvanomirrors with respect to their axes perpendicular to each other. Reflected light or fluorescence from a sample is returned to the beam splitter through the same path, passes through it, and is then reflected by a mirror. This optical system includes an optical unit which can be inserted/removed therein/therefrom. When the optical unit is removed, the optical system serves as a confocal optical system. When the optical unit is inserted, the optical system serves as a nonconfocal optical system. In the confocal optical system, the beam from the mirror enters a condenser, converges, passes through an iris and enters a photomultiplier tuber. The condenser includes a convex lens and a concave lens. In the nonconfocal optical system, the beam from the mirror enters a condenser, converges and is focused on the iris to a spot. The beam passing through the iris enters the photomultiplier tube.

Scanning optical microscope having a compact confocal optical system for

A photographing indication device for microscopes comprising a transparent plate-shaped indication member arranged in the optical path of a microscope in such a manner that its surface including engraved indication lines is located at a position conjugate with the image surface of a photographing device, a plurality of light emitting means having different emission colors and arranged on the side of said indication member for illuminating said member, and control circuit equipped with variable resistor for glowing said light emitting means selectively and capable of controlling light intensity with variable resistor, thereby allowing said indication lines to be clearly distinguishable from an image to be observed and illuminated brightly and uniformly even during microscopy under the dark field illumination or reflecting fluorescence illumination.

Photographing indication device for microscopes

A heater for microscopes for heating a sample and maintaining the sample, which is mounted on a platform of the microscope, at a preset temperature during observation of the sample. The heater includes a platform for supporting thereon a sample container and a heater for heating at least part of the platform. A first heater box is fitted, open end down, over the platform and is connected thereto to form a first space which surrounds the sample container. A second heater box is then fitted over the first heater box in such a manner that a second space which surrounds the first heater box is formed. Heater means are provided for heating the second space. Accordingly, the temperatures in the first space and in the second space can be controlled independently to achieve better control over the temperature of the sample which is to be observed and to control condensation which may otherwise form in the sample holding container.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hisao Kitagawa