JMAR公司研制出配备新型支架的显微镜

 
一种新型显微镜能够扫描并放大任何所观察物体任何大小和形状的图像。即时不光滑的物体也能够在高倍镜下进行观察，因为新扫描活动支架克服了只能观察玻璃切片上光滑物体的局限。

这种新型全数字系统叫做VersaCAM，能够对不适合通常显微镜观察的样本扫描图像进行观察分析。这套设备由JMAR技术公司(San Diego, CA, USA)设计并生产，VersaCAM使用精确控制的活动支架定位进行快速扫描，计算机辅助显微镜(CAM)能够自动对焦，起始距离14英寸直至最佳观察位置，可以按照纳米数量级进行增量。

与传统扫描显微镜相比较，这种扫描支架设计提供了较好的可携带性，适合产生三维物体的近距离图像，即使在实验室以外或者偏远的野外环境中也可使用。VersaCAM适合几种不同地显微镜。可以配备在传统的上下视野、倒置视野、或者甚至巨大物质的科学、医学、或者法医学样本。专门软件配备高清晰度扫描图像， 在单一、大面积、低倍宏观图像。CAM控制允许操作者对所需图像的任何部分进行放大处理。

“我们将我们的专业知识应用于机器人、光学、以及超精确定位和排列，用以制造高度通用的计算机辅助显微镜，”  JMAR公司总裁兼首席执行官Ron Walrod说， “这种显微镜能够用于任何地方任何物体的近距离检查。”
 
 
Flexible Microscope on a Boom
 
A new microscope can scan and enlarge the image of objects of almost any size or shape. Even non-planar objects can be observed at high magnification, due to a novel scanning boom that overcomes the limitation of viewing only small flat objects on glass slides.

This new all-digital system, called the VersaCAM, can view and perform analysis of scanned imagery from samples that would not fit on the stage of a typical microscope. Designed and manufactured by JMAR Technologies (San Diego, CA, USA), the VersaCAM uses a precisely controlled boom to position a fast scanning, computer-aided microscope (CAM) that auto-focuses from a starting distance of over 14 inches down to an optimal viewing position in nanometer increments.

Compared to traditional scanning microscopes, the scanning boom design offers the better portability required to produce close-up images of 3-dimensional (3D) objects, even outside the lab or in a remote field setting. The VersaCAM fills the roles of several different microscopes. It can be set up for traditional top-down viewing, for bottom-up viewing of slides, or even for imaging large-material sciencific, medical, or forensic specimens. Specialty software assembles high-magnification scanned images into a single, large-area low-magnification macro-scale mosaic. CAM controls allow the operator to zoom into any part of the mosaic to capture a desired image.

“We have applied our expertise in robotics, optics, and ultra-precise positioning and alignment to create a highly versatile computer-aided microscope,” said Ron Walrod, president and CEO of JMAR. “This microscope can be used just about anywhere for close-up inspection of almost anything.”