Modeled after a human eye, researchers have developed a new type of microscope that can take gigapixel-resolution images of large, curved samples in one shot. This NASA-patented device implements an ingenious combination of a telecentric lens, a tube lens, and a horizontally-oriented array of micro cameras. Combined, they produce breathtaking, seamless gigapixel images. The most recent breakthrough holds potential implications for many different fields, ranging from biology to materials science.
The new microscope addresses a key limitation of traditional imaging systems. It does away with the need to compromise between flying for very detailed images only in a small area versus less detailed imagery across a larger expanse. The new microscope employs innovative technology to automatically flatten and correct any curvature through adaptive flattening. This allows users to view interesting and complicated samples in extreme detail simultaneously.
Advanced Camera Array
At the core of this microscope is a complex custom-built array of 48 cameras. Each micro camera has its own independent focus control. This pattern of exposure allows every single pixel of the sample to be perfectly exposed, yielding superior image clarity. The handheld device combines nine cameras to take a full hemispherical image of the specimen under study. This avoids the expensive, tedious, manual process of scanning.
Through six demonstrations, the researchers highlighted the microscope’s capabilities. Using brightfield illumination, they imaged a specially prepared slide of rat brain tissue. With the array, they were able to record a 630-megapixel image all at once, in a single shot. This monumental feat takes hundreds of gigapixel-scale images. It squeezes in 10 to 50 times more pixels than your regular smartphone camera photo!
Seamless Imaging Process
The imaging scheme used by this microscope is extremely efficient and powerful. Once the images from each camera are shot, specialized software automatically stitches them together into a seamless image. This stitching process takes about five to ten minutes, meaning researchers can get a full image quickly.
In a testament to the microscope’s versatility, it has recently simultaneously acquired both brightfield and fluorescence images of an onion skin. This unique function allows scientists to study cellular structures, such as neurons and dendrites, at unprecedented detail and clarity. The microscope can display human cellular features down to 0.84 micrometers in size, capturing complex biological processes in real-time.
Implications for Research
Yet the impact of this microscope goes beyond just producing arresting images. By removing the time-intensive scanning process that is typical in microscopy, scientists are able to speed up their experiments and analysis. This technological development has the potential to yield major discoveries in the field of neuroscience. Grasping the micro scale of neural circuitry will be key to making further advances in this area.
Being able to acquire beautiful, high-resolution images quickly allows scientists to observe more dynamic and influential processes in near real-time. This unique capability would greatly accelerate discoveries in cell biology and pathology. Researchers are only just beginning to mine the talents of this powerful new microscope. Its impact on scientific discovery and applications across many fields will only continue to increase tremendously.