Micron IV vs 5

The MICRON 5 camera ships with MICRON Software Suite (MSS), which includes key features that improve camera utilization, workflow, data acquisition, and data management.

Unlike prior generations of MICRON cameras, the MICRON 5 camera system is software-controlled. MICRON Software Suite provides a software control panel to easily adjust focus, illumination, aperture, and select the barrier and excitation filters. And all of these settings are saved with each captured image.

Software control of the camera results in more precise exposure control. And, because the settings are saved with each image, software control improves experiment repeatability across subject animals and between system users, which in turn improves the accuracy of research results.

The MICRON 5 camera includes a new aperture element, much like the aperture found on a professional digital camera. The aperture provides greater exposure control when imaging lightly pigmented animals or when imaging faint fluorophores. In addition, the aperture provides new depth of field adjustments when imaging structures such as tumors or lesions.

MICRON 5 filters are easily accessible from the outside of the camera. Magnetic covers allow convenient access to the barrier and exciter filter wheels. Filters are mounted in removable wedges that snap into the filter wheel with magnets. The filter wedges include human and machine readable identification. As a result, users can select the filters by name using MICRON Software Suite, filters are easily identifiable when not installed in the camera, and the selected filters are recorded with each image. This compares to a MICRON IV where changing filters requires disassembling the camera, installed filters are only identified by number on the filter wheel (1 through 4), and where no metadata is associated with the image.

With a MICRON IV, users manage data in Windows folders. With MSS on a MICRON 5, data and images are stored and managed in the MSS database. Not only are longitudinal imaging sessions on a subject easily accessed and viewed, but up to four images can be compared and saved to the database for quick reference. MSS captures information about the subject animal (ID, born-on date, gender, species / strain, etc.), and records data about exposure, imaging modality, and camera settings with each image. And MSS supports the addition of user assigned Tags, which provide for adding user-generated metadata to a subject animal, an imaging session, or a specific image. Images and video can be exported to standard external files, and all of captured data can be exported to a CSV file for correlation and regression analysis, to feed publication tables and graphs, and as input into training an Ai or deep learning algorithm.

MICRON Software Suite (MSS) allows for the creation of individual user accounts. A user account can be assigned to one or more "labs", where a lab is a logical grouping of user accounts. When an operator logs into MSS, they only see the data related to the subject animals in their lab. This facilitates sharing a MICRON 5 camera across groups, which in turn increases asset utilization while protecting each researcher’s data.

MICRON Software Suite includes security event logging. This information is available to an administrative user, and includes records of login, logout, password change, export, and other material events. This can be especially useful to meet information security requirements for research involving sensitive information or controlled studies.

With a MICRON IV camera, objective lenses screw on to the camera body. The attachment process is prone to dropping and damaging lenses. And modality attachments must be completely removed before detaching / attaching a lens. In contrast, the MICRON 5 camera supports a redesigned objective lens format called LT2. LT2 lenses slide on to the camera and magnetically seat in place. Lenses can be removed without needing to detach an imaging modality (e.g., the OCT scan head can remain attached). And this means users can quickly change from fundus imaging to laser, OCT, or other modalities. The new lens design shortens imaging session times, which allows for more data collection in less time and reduces the required sedation time of subject animals.

With the MICRON IV system, objective lenses had to be paired with a single MICRON camera, and that calibration could only take place in the USA-based MICRON factory. This meant that system repairs and upgrades required returning the camera to the US for service. The newly designed MICRON LT2 lenses can be calibrated in the field to match any MICRON 5 camera, shortening repair times and making upgrades much easier.

The MICRON 5 camera supports interchangeable sensors, which opens a path for Phoenix-Micron to innovate on sensor technology without requiring our customers to replace their MICRON camera. The product roadmap currently includes plans for a special purpose sensor to image mitochondrial health, as well as plans for hyperspectral or multispectral sensors.

By introducing software-control of the MICRON 5 camera, Phoenix-Micron set the stage for image processing enhancements that are expected to roll-out over time. These include features like autofocus, high dynamic range, stacking depth of focus, and more.