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Abstract

Abstract: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) Confocal microscopy is an essential tool for the biological sciences. It has significantly enhanced the testing of hypotheses in the Neurosciences and has provided insights into the causes of neurological disorders. The goal of this project is to develop a new type of confocal microscope based on a new concept, the swept-field confocal design (SFC). The SFC has the potential of becoming an attachment for the light microscope that could be purchased by the individual scientist for under $50,000. The SFC is a revolutionary confocal concept in which this hybrid-instrument uses an 86 x 12 array of stationary pinholes for illumination and detection along one axis (e.g. the Y axis) while using one galvanometer to sweep the illumination along the X axis. This phase I project has five specific objectives. We will: 1) Design and build a swept-field confocal microscope; 2) modify existing digital camera acquisition software to make SFC control software; 3) Compare the optical efficiency and resolution of the SFC and present day LSCMs; 4) Calculate the manufacturing costs of the SFC and determine whether the SFC could come to market at $45,000, and finally 5) Test the performance of the swept-field confocal microscope in biological applications.

Thesaurus Terms:
biomedical equipment development, computer program /software, computer system design /evaluation, confocal scanning microscopy, digital imaging
bioimaging /biomedical imaging

Institution:	PRAIRIE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
	3230 DEMING WAY, STE 175
	MIDDLETON, WI 53562
Fiscal Year:	2002
Department:
Project Start:	11-JUN-2002
Project End:	10-DEC-2002
ICD:	NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
IRG:	ZRG1