In the Photonics Group of the Physics Department at Imperial College London, we are developing an open microscopy hardware platform that aims to enable researchers to rapidly implement modular, upgradeable, and easily maintained instruments with a range of add-on open source modules, such as excitation coupling systems for fluorescence microscopy, as well as commercial components. This approach is increasingly based around a core modular microscope frame (openFrame, developed in partnership with Cairn Research Ltd). We intend this microscopy platform to be controlled using µManager and will use open-source software wherever possible. We aim to share software well as the CAD designs and component lists so that other researchers can easily replicate the instrumentation or adapt it to their requirements.
You can find further information about this open microscopy platform at our Imperial College London biophotonics webpages or at www.openScopes.com. While most of the instruments being developed within this Accelerator will be realised using open-source modules implemented on proprietary microscope frames, the M3M HCA microscope will be implemented as an openFrame-based instrument.