Yokogawa Electric Corporation

University Of Zürich

Yokogawa Electric Coporation

Takayuki Kei

Kenta Mikuriya

Hironori Takai

Toshiyuki Suzuki

Takashi Yoshida

Naomichi Chida

Hideo Hirukawa

Takuya Azuma

Eiichi Goto

Lucas Pelkmans

Yasunori Yokoyama

Kenji Hachiya

Takashi Akiyama

Gabriele Gut

Yohei Kuwabara

Yohei Tsubouchi

Naoki Andoh

Taichirou Nedu

Kouichi Yamamoto

Yoshiaki Naganuma

Taichirou Nezu

Yoshiaki c/o Digital Stream Corporation Naganuma

A confocal scanner includes a first disk which comprises a plurality of microlenses, a second disk which comprises a plurality of pinholes formed to be associated with the microlenses, wherein the second disk rotates together with the first disk, a light guider which guides a plurality of rays of split light split by the microlenses within the first region set in the first disk to a second region set in the first disk, and a beam splitter which is disposed between the one surface of the first disk and the another surface of the second disk, wherein light which has passed through the microlenses within the second region transmits through the beam splitter, and the beam splitter reflects light incident from the second disk toward an outward side of the first disk and the second disk in a radial direction.

Confocal scanner and confocal microscope

A confocal scanner () according to the present disclosure includes a first pinhole array disk (), a second pinhole array disk (), a condensing element array disk () located between the first pinhole array disk () and the second pinhole array disk (), a connecting shaft () connecting the first pinhole array disk (), the second pinhole array disk (), and the condensing element array disk (), and a motor () configured, together with the connecting shaft (), to rotate the first pinhole array disk (), the second pinhole array disk (), and the condensing element array disk (). The first pinhole array disk () is located at a first focal plane, the second pinhole array disk () is located at a second focal plane, and a diameter of first pinholes and a diameter of second pinholes are different from each other.

Confocal scanner, confocal scanner system, and confocal microscope system

A confocal scanner () according to the present disclosure includes a first pinhole array disk (), a second pinhole array disk (), a condensing element array disk () located between the first pinhole array disk () and the second pinhole array disk (), a connecting shaft () connecting the first pinhole array disk (), the second pinhole array disk (), and the condensing element array disk (), and a motor () configured, together with the connecting shaft (), to rotate the first pinhole array disk (), the second pinhole array disk (), and the condensing element array disk (). The first pinhole array disk () is located at a first focal plane, the second pinhole array disk () is located at a second focal plane.

An analysis apparatus () includes a housing unit () that houses a biological sample (S), a staining dispenser unit () that fluorescently stains the biological sample (S), an image acquisition unit () that acquires an image of the biological sample (S), a washer unit () that destains the biological sample (S), a drive unit (), and a control unit () that analyzes the image and controls the drive unit (). The control unit () performs adjustments so that the staining dispenser unit () and the housing unit () satisfy a first position condition, performs adjustments so that the image acquisition unit () and the housing unit () satisfy a second position condition, and performs adjustments so that the washer unit () and the housing unit () satisfy a third position condition. The analysis apparatus () maximizes the actual photography range of information related to the biological sample. The analysis apparatus () can also minimize variation in the time required for processes and can achieve high-quality analysis.

Analysis apparatus

A sample analysis support apparatus includes a sample region in which a sample is to be disposed, a tip region in which a tip is to be disposed, a first operation unit capable of an operation on the sample using the tip, the tip being attachable to and detachable from the first operation unit, a second operation unit capable of an operation on the sample using the tip, the tip being attachable to and detachable from the second operation unit, a transport unit configured to support each of the first operation unit and the second operation unit moveably between the tip region and the sample region, and a movement controller capable of controlling the transport unit to move each of the first operation unit and the second operation unit between the tip region and the sample region.

Sample analysis support apparatus

An optical illumination device () includes: a laser light source (); microlens arrays () through which light emitted from the laser light source () passes; a moving mechanism () that moves the microlens arrays () without changing an optical length from the laser light source (); and a Fourier lens () through which light passing through the microlens arrays () passes.

Optical illumination device

A cell aspiration support system includes an image acquisition unit, an image processing unit, a display unit, an operation control unit and a cooling unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image of the group of cells. The image processing unit identifies a cell from the acquired image to calculate feature quantities of each cell, and detects a cell whose feature quantities satisfy predetermined conditions. The display unit displays information relating to the group of cells in a state in which the detected cell is distinguishable. When receiving designation of the specific cell based on the information, the operation control unit moves the cell culture container such that a specific cell is placed at a predetermined aspiration position and moves an aspiration tip to the aspiration position. The cooling unit holds a specimen rack storing an aspirated tip after aspiration and cools the tip.

Cell aspiration support system

Provided is a cell suction system that supports suction work of a substance within a cell. The cell suction system includes: a suction section including a tubular tip configured to suction the substance from the inside of the cell received in a container; a detection section configured to acquire information on a front end part of the tip; and a conveyance section configured to make the suction section three-dimensionally movable, the conveyance section being configured to move the suction section to guide the front end part of the tip attached to the suction section into one specific cell based on the information obtained in the detection section.

Cell suction system, and method for performing suction work of intracellular substance using the same

A cell suction support system includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires a microscopic image of a group of cells in a cell container; an image processor that uses the microscopic image to calculate a characteristic amount of each cell, and detects a cell having a characteristic amount that satisfies a predetermined condition; a display that displays information concerning the group of cells so that the detected cell is distinguishable; and a movement controller that moves the cell container so that a designated specific cell is placed at a predetermined suction position, while moving a suction tip to the suction position.

Cell suction support system

There is provided a confocal microscope system configured so as to be compact in size without the needs for a large space, requiring fewer spots for adjustment. In the confocal microscope system, respective units making up the confocal microscope system are integrally housed in a protection cabinet covering the confocal microscope system, and when a specimen disposed opposite to an objective lens is moved toward an external face of the protection cabinet, a side of the external face, adjacent to an opening through which the specimen is taken in, or out, is defined as a front face, the Nipkow disk type scanner unit is disposed backward of the objective lens.

Confocal microscope system

A drug discovery screening apparatus improves a testing operation efficiency. The drug discovery screening apparatus comprises an image measurement unit, an incubator unit integrally connected to the image measurement unit, a fixed stage disposed at the incubator unit, first conveyance for taking out one of plates stored in a carousel of the incubator unit and conveying the plate onto the fixed stage, second conveyance for taking out the plate conveyed onto the fixed stage and conveying the plate onto an XY stage disposed at the image measurement unit, and a control unit. The second conveyance comprises first and second conveyance arms, respectively supported horizontally by a conveyance unit support section, which convey the plates onto the fixed stage and XY stage so as to allow the respective plates to cross each other.

Drug discovery screening apparatus

A focus error detecting optical system has an optical parameter which makes a focus lock-in range by a focus error signal be a value capable of detecting focus on a front surface of a cover glass and focus on a back surface thereof separately. A control section, based on the focus error signal obtained by the focus error detecting optical system, brings a focal point of an observational optical system to a focus position. Further, focus error detecting optical systems include optical units each having an optical parameter corresponding to a numerical aperture of respective objective lenses. A control section selects the optical unit of the focus error detecting optical system corresponding to the objective lens in use. The control section, using a focus error signal obtained by the selected focus error detecting optical system, brings a focal point of an observational optical system to a focus position.

Focus error detecting optical system for a microscope

A confocal microscope uses fluorescent or reflected light obtained by irradiating a plurality of beam spots to a sample so as to observe the sample. The confocal microscope has a phase modulator element which modulates phase of laser light to form the beam spots, a liquid crystal element which forms a plurality of pinholes through which only the fluorescent or the reflected light is transmitted, and a control section which controls the phase modulator element and the liquid crystal element.

Confocal microscope

This invention is characterized by the following feature. A three-dimensional confocal microscope system for performing image processing based on image pickup data of sliced images of a sample outputted from a confocal scanner and thus acquiring a three-dimensional image of the sample, the system comprising a correction unit for correcting brightness of the sliced images on the basis of depth of the sample. Thus, a three-dimensional confocal microscope system that corrects changes in the brightness of the image due to the depth of the sample and thus achieves uniform brightness of the image at any point in the direction of depth can be realized.

Three-dimensional confocal microscope system

This invention realizes a three-dimensional confocal microscope in which mechanical vibrations do not occur in the scanning unit for scanning in the direction of optical axis, and in which scanning in the direction of optical axis can be carried out at a high speed. This invention has the following features. In the confocal microscope having a confocal scanner attached to an optical microscope and constructed to enable acquisition of an image of a sample as a confocal image by the confocal scanner, a variable-focus lens of surface tension control type having no moving part is uses as the field lens.

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Musashino, Japan

Takayuki Kei