Improving the data acquisition of the dual-wedge confocal microscope

Stephen A. Guerrera, Northeastern University
William C. Wargar II, Northeastern University
Charles A. DiMarzio, Northeastern University

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Poster presented at the 2007 Thrust R1B Effective Forward Models Conference

Abstract

A new method of generating images from the dual-wedge confocal microscope was developed. The previous method of data acquisition resulted in data rates of 100Hz. In addition, many data points were visited multiple times, while others were never visited. This caused the acquisition of a single frame to take more than half an hour. For collecting images of excised skin tissue to characterize the microscope, this is a major issue, as the shape of the sample changes over time. To remedy this problem, a National Instruments Data Acquisition card was purchased, and signal conditioning circuitry was created to increase the data collection speed to collect every point visited in real time at the speeds at which the microscope is currently being operated. Images can now be acquired in seconds, and the capability exists to reach frame rates of 5 Hz., with faster scanners in the future. The new acquisition technique had the added benefits of changing the analog to digital conversion resolution of the signal from 8-bits 16-bits and improving the angular resolution from 500 to 1000 points per rotation. In the future there is the potential to increase the position resolution to 2000 points per rotation without replacing the encoders currently used.