Time‐lapse microscopy using smartphone with augmented reality markers

Abstract

A prototype system that replaces the conventional time-lapse imaging in microscopic inspection for use with smartphones is presented. Existing time-lapse imaging requires a video data feed between a microscope and a computer that varies depending on the type of image grabber. Even with proper hardware setups, a series of tedious and repetitive tasks is still required to relocate to the region-of-interest (ROI) of the specimens. In order to simplify the system and improve the efficiency of time-lapse imaging tasks, a smartphone-based platform utilizing microscopic augmented reality (μ-AR) markers is proposed. To evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed system, a user test was designed and performed, measuring the elapse time for a trial of the task starting from the execution of the application software to the completion of restoring and imaging of an ROI saved in advance. The results of the user test showed that the average elapse time was 65.3 ± 15.2 s with 6.86 ± 3.61 μm of position error and 0.08 ± 0.40 degrees of angle error. This indicates that the time-lapse imaging task was accomplished rapidly with a high level of accuracy. Thus, simplification of both the system and the task was achieved via our proposed system.

Biosensors and bioelectronics on smartphone for portable biochemical detection

“…The morphologies of blood cells and microorganisms can be imaged with the cellphone-based microscope in brightfield and fluorescence mode, respectively. Then, several research groups have inserted smartphone into microscope devices for different biomedical applications (Baek et al, 2014;Skandarajah et al, 2014). Using high Tab 1 pixel density camera and advanced computational capacity of the phones, microscopic images can be calculated, overlaid, and analyzed in real time, which can rapidly quantify features such as object size, color, and brightness as signal tags for drug screening and healthcare diagnosis.…”

Living specimens under field immobilization and smartphone microscopic observation

“…If the viscous substance is biologically inert, nontoxic, and nonosmotic, it is possible to minimize any detrimental effects on the specimen, although excessive viscosity can limit the ability to retrieve the specimen from the immobilizing medium post microscopic examination. As smartphones are ubiquitous and are equipped with high resolution camera sensors, they offer exciting vistas as use as microscopes (Baek, Cho, Yun, Youn, & Bang, ; Cesaretti et al, ). While the focal length can be altered in liquid lenses by manipulating the wetting properties, they typically involve designs that require significant resources in construction and in fabrication.…”

Wireless Data Acquisition of Transient Signals for Mobile Spectrometry Applications

“…is receiving increased attention at recent conferences and the current chemistry literature. 1–25 In this overview paper, wireless communications standards are briefly reviewed and are evaluated with emphasis on their potential applicability for data acquisition of transient optical emission spectrometry signals in the field from PMT or PDA detectors. Evaluation criteria included (among others) portability, electrical power consumption, and speed of communications.…”