Optical data acquisition

Optical data acquisition

Optical data acquisition is based on image analysis and fast signal analysis, utilizing the unique optical features of the CR microlens array. The CR optical features exclusively enable fast signal analysis – a presently nonexistent capability: The focal image of the microlens in the camera plane is used to relate a cluster of pixels to a respective microlens/microwell, thus creating an array of "clustered-detectors-per-picowell-per-cell”, in which each cluster detector probes only the light signal gathered from its corresponding picowell. Thus, with the CR, data can be rapidly and simultaneously acquired from the observed cells, bypassing complicated image analysis. Software packages have been developed to automatically govern, acquire, analyze, compare and archive all experimental data. This project has been initiated by the Jerome Schottenstein Center, and proceeds in collaboration with Molecular Devices Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA – the developers of MetaMorph - the world leader in image analysis software.