Abstract: A system for microscopy slide locking include a stage slot configured to fit a microscopy slide, the stage slot including a first corner and a second corner diagonally across the first corner, a static securing element disposed at the first corner and configured to contact a microscopy slide at a first pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges, and a dynamic securing element disposed at the second corner and configured to contact the microscopy slide at a second pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges diagonally opposite the first pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges, wherein the dynamic securing element includes a translating portion configured to slide in a translational direction between a proximal position and a distal position and a rotating portion rotationally connected to the translating portion and configured to rotate around an axis of rotation normal to a face of the microscopy slide and the translational direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of use of a mechanism that converts rotary motion into linear motion are disclosed. The method includes mechanically connecting, using a first connecting component, a rotary component and one or more movable components, mechanically connecting, using a second connecting component, a plurality of gripping components and the one or more movable components, generating, using the rotary component, rotary motion about a rotational axis, transferring, using the first connecting component, the rotary motion to the one or more movable components, transferring, using the second connecting component, the off-axis motion of the one or more movable components to the plurality of gripping components and moving the plurality of gripping components linearly in opposite directions.

Abstract: A system for microscopy slide locking include a stage slot configured to fit a microscopy slide, the stage slot including a first corner and a second corner diagonally across the first corner, a static securing element disposed at the first corner and configured to contact a microscopy slide at a first pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges, and a dynamic securing element disposed at the second corner and configured to contact the microscopy slide at a second pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges diagonally opposite the first pair of its orthogonal, intersecting edges, wherein the dynamic securing element includes a translating portion configured to slide in a translational direction between a proximal position and a distal position and a rotating portion rotationally connected to the translating portion and configured to rotate around an axis of rotation normal to a face of the microscopy slide and the translational direction.