An economical fluorescence microplate imaging system
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The highlight of the THORLABS booth was its new Onyx automated fluorescence microplate imaging system. Donna R. Trollinger explained that the product is part of the company’s new imaging systems division, which focuses on life science applications. The fluorescence microplate imager has a price point lower than competing systems -- costing $80,000 to $90,000 rather than the $500,000 of some other systems. Trollinger said that the lower cost is possible because the system uses THORLABS technology inside rather than paying for OEM parts. The system’s full spectrum fluorescence light source is pre-aligned, so it requires no maintenance. In addition to imaging all microplate formats, it can be used for automated scanning of slides. The modular system allows the addition of transmitted light illumination functionality to the system. It features Nikon objectives, a 4-position objective changer, a high-resolution CCD detector, high-speed laser-based autofocus as well as image acquisition and analysis software.
The company also introduced a new high-speed microscopy scanning stage. Its speed of 100 nm/s to 100 mm/s is much faster than anything the company offered before. The stage can travel 110 mm X 75 mm with a resolution and accuracy of 100 nm. It has minimal moving parts and a slim profile. FInally, THORLABS displayed a new version of its ScienceDesk workstation, a product line designed to reduce vibrations that may cause problems in microscopy experiments.
The highlight of the THORLABS booth was its new Onyx automated fluorescence microplate imaging system. Donna R. Trollinger explained that the product is part of the company’s new imaging systems division, which focuses on life science applications. The fluorescence microplate imager has a price point lower than competing systems -- costing $80,000 to $90,000 rather than the $500,000 of some other systems. Trollinger said that the lower cost is possible because the system uses THORLABS technology inside rather than paying for OEM parts. The system’s full spectrum fluorescence light source is pre-aligned, so it requires no maintenance. In addition to imaging all microplate formats, it can be used for automated scanning of slides. The modular system allows the addition of transmitted light illumination functionality to the system. It features Nikon objectives, a 4-position objective changer, a high-resolution CCD detector, high-speed laser-based autofocus as well as image acquisition and analysis software.
The company also introduced a new high-speed microscopy scanning stage. Its speed of 100 nm/s to 100 mm/s is much faster than anything the company offered before. The stage can travel 110 mm X 75 mm with a resolution and accuracy of 100 nm. It has minimal moving parts and a slim profile. FInally, THORLABS displayed a new version of its ScienceDesk workstation, a product line designed to reduce vibrations that may cause problems in microscopy experiments.