The new system uses Toshiba's IK-HD1 three-chip CCD high-definition camera, which has an extremely small form factor (32.6mm x 38.6mm x 41mm). ISee3D chose the camera for its small size, new single-lens technology, acquisition speed, superior contrast and resolution, and high-quality color reproduction, Tom Mitchell, ISee3D chief technical officer, said in a Toshiba press release. All those factors are critical in medical and scientific imaging, Mitchell said.
ISee3D has designed a customized interface with the IK-HD1 camera. This interface, combined with patented optical switch technology, will make much greater detail visible in images viewed at high magnifications, ISee3D said. The optical switch can be built into either a lens (for optimal performance) or an optical adaptor that fits between the lens and a standard camera.
The complete system targets microscope imaging systems used in a wide range of clinical, surgical, and industrial microscopy applications. "We are finalizing our commercial 3D microscopy system for introduction later this year," ISee3D chief executive Terry Debono said in the press release.
ISee3D has developed several prototypes and proprietary methods to improve the performance of imaging systems with its single-lens/camera 3D technology. The companys says its products maintain consistent calibration and alignment, correcting mismatched focal lengths and lens focus and other aberrations that characterize 3D imaging techniques. For example, the technology matches 3D views regardless of lens quality, lens type, the amount of image distortion, or environmental variables.
naperlou, I've tried increasing the font size in my browser, but on lots of web pages that are designed for wide monitors, that makes half of what I'm trying to read inaccessible, especially on a laptop.
Regarding prices, the whole economics of volume manufacturing means that per-unit costs are a lot higher with a small number of initial products than they are later when volumes have risen and manufacturers can amortize parts, labor and overhead. So manufacturers don't have a choice to lower prices initially without risking going out of business before volumes go up. They also don't have such a choice if they are funded by venture capital, which always comes with some pretty strict strings attached.
Ann, it sounds like there is some kind of optical device in the image path, something like the opposite of an image stabalizer, that selects one of two paths thru the optics? Is this correct? Any other details available?
Alex, you could just try a bigger font in your browser. As for your observation on the cost coming down bringing more applications, that is the one truism of the electronics age. Sometimes I wonder at manufacturers that price their products high at the begining to recover cost quickly while also raising venture capital. They would be better off pricing low from the begining to get volumes up quickly.
I didn't realize that eye fatigue was an issue with microscopes, though I guess it should be obvious since it is when reading web sites. On the technical side, it's interesting how CCD and other pieces of critical imaging technology (i.e., where the image is captured/light converted to intensity and color levels etc) is becoming, well, not exactly commoditized, but more affordable. And that's moving it out into a wider range of applications, as we're seeing with the explosion of 3D machine vision.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
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For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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