Abstract: A system (100) comprising one or more processors (110) and one or more storage devices (120) is configured to obtain biology-related image-based input data (107) and generate a high-dimensional representation of the biology-related image-based input data (107) by a trained visual recognition machine-learning algorithm executed by the one or more processors (110). The high-dimensional representation comprises at least 3 entries each having a different value. Further, the system is configured to at least one of store the high-dimensional representation of the biology-related image-based input data (107) together with the biology-related image-based input data (107) by the one or more storage devices (120) or output biology-related language-based output data (109) corresponding to the high-dimensional representation.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhancing an input phase distribution (I(xi)) is configured to retrieve the input phase distribution (I(xi)) and compute a baseline estimate (ƒ(xi)) as an estimate of a baseline (I2 (xi)) in the input phase distribution (I(xi)). The apparatus is further configured to obtain an output phase distribution (O(xi)) based on the baseline estimate (ƒ(xi)) and the input phase distribution (I(xi)).

Abstract: A system for coupling at least one optical beam includes at least one optical beam entry port, an optical beam exit port, the optical beam exit port including a lens performing a Fourier Transform, at least one optical beam deflector, and an optical base element, wherein the at least one directly fixed optical beam deflector is allowed to rotate around a rotation axis, wherein the corresponding at least one optical beam and/or its assigned optical beam entry port is configured such that the semi-major axis of the elliptical cross section of the optical beam on a deflection surface of a respective optical beam deflector is oriented parallel to the rotation axis, and wherein, after having passed the optical beam exit port, the elliptical cross section of the at least one optical beam overlaps the circular cross section of the light receiver.

Abstract: A control device for a microscope includes an operating device, an actuator and a processor. The operating device is configured to be operated by a user to vary focusing and/or positioning of an optical imaging system of the microscope relative to a sample. The actuator is configured to adjust an aperture of a detection pinhole which is included in the microscope so as to eliminate out-of-focus light from detection light which is directed by the optical imaging system onto a detector of the microscope. The processor is configured to detect a predetermined operating condition in response to a user operation of the operating device and to control the actuator to vary the aperture of the detection pinhole upon detection of the predetermined operating condition.

Abstract: A method of automatically determining boundaries of a z-stack of images of an object, the z-stack of the images acquired by imaging the object at different focal positions, is provided. The method includes generating a set of images of the object, each image being captured at a different focal position, and applying a blurriness-W metric function to each image. The blurriness-W metric function is a blurriness or sharpness metric function having a focal position as a variable, and shows a global extremum for maximal or minimal sharpness at the focal position and secondary extrema adjoining the global extremum. The method includes calculating, by the blurriness-W metric function, a metric value for each image, and based on the blurriness-W metric function showing a primary extremum and two of the secondary extrema adjoining the primary extremum, determining the z-stack boundaries in dependence of the focal positions assigned to the two secondary extrema.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating a result image. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring a STED image of a sample, the STED image comprising pixels; calculating Fourier coefficients of arrival times for the pixels of the image, resulting in real coefficients representing a first image and in imaginary coefficients representing a second image; deriving an intensity image from the STED image; applying a spatial filter to the first image, the second image and the intensity image, resulting in a filtered first image, a filtered second image, and filtered intensity image, respectively; calculating an image G based on the filtered first image and the filtered intensity image; calculating an image S based on the filtered second image and the filtered intensity image; and calculating a result image based on the image G and the image S.

Abstract: An optical imaging device for a microscope includes an objective and an optical system configured to interact with the objective for optically imaging an object selectively in a first operating mode and a second operating mode. The optical system includes a first optical subsystem associated with the first operating mode, and a second optical subsystem associated with the second operating mode. The first optical subsystem is configured to form a first image of the object with a first magnification. The second optical subsystem is configured to form a second image of the object with a second magnification that is less than the first magnification. The second optical subsystem includes an optical module insertable into the optical path for selecting the second operating mode. The optical module includes a lens element with a positive refractive power.

Abstract: A microscope includes: a motorized object stage for moving an object; an optical imaging system for forming an optical image of a plane (OE) in which the object is to be optically imaged; an optical scanning unit for moving the plane (OE) to be optically imaged by the optical imaging system relative to the optical imaging system; an image sensor for detecting the optical image of the plane (OE) formed by the optical imaging system; and a controller for controlling the motorized object stage and the optical scanning unit for simultaneously moving the object and the plane (OE) in a same direction relative to the optical imaging system while the optical image is being detected by the image sensor.

Abstract: A single-particle localization microscope, including an optical system configured to illuminate a sample region with a sequence of light patterns having spatially different distributions of illumination light adapted to cause a single particle located in the sample region to emit detection light, a detector configured to detect a sequence of intensities of the detection light emerging from the sample region in response to the sequence of illuminating light patterns, and a processor configured to determine, based on the sequence of intensities of the detection light, an arrangement of potential positions for locating the particle. The processor further illuminates the sample region with at least one subsequent light pattern, causes detection of at least one subsequent intensity, and decides, based on the at least one subsequent intensity of the detection light, which one of the multiple potential positions represents an actual position of the particle in the sample region.

Abstract: A method for image generation by means of a microscope includes: locating a sample to be imaged in an object space of the microscope for the image generation using specified image generation parameters; firstly detecting a movement or an intended movement of the sample; and thereupon automatically changing at least one image generation parameter during the movement of the sample depending on a movement variable.

Abstract: An apparatus for scaling images includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media on which computer-executable instructions are stored. The computer-executable instructions, upon being executed by the one or more processors, provide for execution of the following steps: capturing one or more first images by an imaging and/or image recording system, wherein the one or more captured first images are related to a first resolution; and generating, by a neural network, one or more corresponding second images based on one or more captured first images, wherein the one or more second images are related to a second resolution, the first resolution differing from the second resolution.

Abstract: A microscope includes a wide-field illuminator configured to illuminate at least one selected region of a sample, and a beam splitter configured to generate a first detection beam path and a second detection beam path. A camera detector is arranged within the first detection beam path and is configured to record images of the selected region of the sample. A point detector is arranged within the second detection beam path and is configured to acquire a predetermined subregion of the sample lying within the selected region. A detection objective, which is arranged within the first and second detection beam paths on an object side of the beam splitter. The detection objective is a common detection objective for the camera detector and the point detector.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope includes a light source configured to emit an illumination light beam. The illumination light beam has a transverse light intensity profile comprising an intensity minimum. The laser scanning microscope further includes a scanning device configured to scan the illumination light beam along a closed trajectory in a target area of a specimen, and a detector configured to detect fluorescence light emitted by a fluorophore within the target area of the specimen. The fluorophore is excited by the illumination light beam. The laser scanning microscope further includes a processor configured to determine an intensity distribution of the fluorescence light as a function of time and to determine a position of the fluorophore within the target area based on the intensity distribution of the fluorescence light.

Abstract: A microscope system for examining a sample includes: a microscope having a movable microscope table, on which the sample to be examined is positionable; and a controller for: transmitting a first position signal to the microscope table, based on which the microscope table is movable into a first table position; causing the microscope, in a first examination step, to examine a first region of the sample associated with the first table position when the microscope table has been moved into the first table position; transmitting at least one second position signal to the microscope table, based on which the microscope table is movable into a second table position; and causing the microscope, in a second examination step chronologically following the first examination step, to examine a second region of the sample associated with the second table position when the microscope table has been moved into the second table position.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for determining a focused output image in a passive autofocus system is configured to retrieve a set of input images and compute a baseline estimate for at least one input image. The baseline estimate represents image structures in the input image. The image structures have a length scale larger than a predetermined image feature length scale. The image processing apparatus is further configured to compute a set of output images, wherein each output image of the set of output images is computed based on one of a different input image of the set of input images and the at least one baseline estimate for the different input image and the at least one baseline estimate for a respective different input image. The image processing apparatus is further configured to determine one output image of the set of output images as the focused output image.

Abstract: A method is useable for correcting a spherical aberration of a microscope having an objective and a cover slip or object carrier, the objective having a correction element for correcting the spherical aberration. The method includes: ascertaining, by the microscope, an index of refraction of an optical medium bordering the cover slip or object carrier and/or a thickness of the cover slip or object carrier along an optical axis of the objective, ascertaining the spherical aberration based on the index of refraction of the optical medium and/or the thickness of the cover slip or object carrier, and ascertaining, based on the spherical aberration, a positioning variable, by which the correction element is adjusted so that the spherical aberration is corrected.