Abstract: A first aspect of this disclosure relates to a computer-based method of setting an optical focus, comprising the steps of: obtaining a first threshold value for a drift of an optical focus, obtaining a first drift value, wherein it is based on measurements of at least one parameter regarding the focus at different points in time, comparing the first drift value with the first threshold value, outputting the first drift value if it exceeds the first threshold value inadmissibly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data processing device for an imaging apparatus, the device being configured to obtain a length threshold value, to access input image data representing at least one digital input image, wherein the input image data comprise a shading signal representing a brightness decrease towards the edges of the at least one digital input image, and a content signal representing image features of the at least one digital input image, the image features having a length that is smaller than the length threshold value, to compute a baseline image based on the input image data and the length threshold value, wherein the baseline image is representative of an estimate of the shading signal, to generate at least one digital output image representative of an estimate of the content signal by at least one of a) subtracting the baseline image from the input image data and b) dividing the input image data by the baseline image.

Abstract: A method for generating at least a first control area for a biological analysis includes depositing on a surface a solution comprising a first control analyte in order to generate the first control area. A system is configured to carry out the method. A method is also provided for analysing a biological sample including at least one first target analyte.

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 fluorescence microscope system including an optical detection system configured to capture a raw image of a sample, the raw image including a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a brightness value and a processor, configured to determine one or more invalid pixels in the raw image, assign a predetermined value to each invalid pixel, determine a range of brightness values including the brightness values of a majority of the plurality of pixels excluding the one or more invalid pixels, and generate a processed image of the sample based on the determined range of brightness values. (FIG.

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 microscope includes illumination optics for fluorescence excitation of point light sources of a sample, detection optics and a camera having a sensor. A density of the point light sources is kept low so as to minimize a crossover of point light sources that are behind or close to one another in each image captured by the camera. A means for subdividing a detection aperture into individual sub-apertures is provided in a beam path of the detection optics such that images generated by the individual sub-apertures on the sensor of the camera depict an object volume from different spatial directions.

Abstract: A microscope includes illumination optics for fluorescence excitation of point light sources of a sample, detection optics and a camera having a sensor. A density of the point light sources is kept low so as to minimize a crossover of point light sources that are behind or close to one another in each image captured by the camera. A means for subdividing a detection aperture into individual sub-apertures is provided in a beam path of the detection optics such that images generated by the individual sub-apertures on the sensor of the camera depict an object volume from different spatial directions.