Presentation Information
[P02-235]Development of a Roll-to-Roll Film Transport System for Automated Microscopic Imaging
○Tatsunori KIYOKAWA1, Yohei NAGATA1, Rin SUZUKI2, Danting LI2, Masahito INDOH2 (1. Energy and Env. Tech. Center, Innovation and Tech. Research Lab., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan), 2. Solution Tech. Center, Innovation and Tech. Research Lab., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan))
Keywords:
Automated Microscopy,High-Throughput Image Acquisition,Roll-to-Roll Film Transport,AI
[Purpose]
In recent years, image analysis based on artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly advanced, enabling applications such as automatic classification and anomaly detection of plankton and other micro-organisms. However, the development of hardware systems capable of acquiring large volumes of stable and consistent images, essential for fully exploiting the performance of AI-based analysis, remains limited. As a result, further advancement of microscopy technologies that enable faster and more automated observation is strongly required. This study evaluates a sample fixation and transport approach based on roll-to-roll technology using polymer films.
[Method]
Operational verification was performed using a prototype test apparatus. Samples were dispensed onto the film, and it was confirmed that the samples were transported beneath the objective lens in accordance with film movement and sandwiched between two films. Based on these observations, conditions enabling continuous image acquisition were investigated under a microscopic transport sequence consisting of “movement – stop - imaging - re-movement.”
[Results]
Observation conditions were then examined using the test apparatus. When the interval between stopping the film and image acquisition was too short, the images became out of focus, likely due to film vibration. As a result, bright-field imaging achieved an acquisition rate of approximately one image per second. In contrast, fluorescence imaging required several seconds per image, mainly due to optical path switching and longer exposure times on the microscope side.
[Consideration]
Although the image acquisition speed is lower than that of instruments such as flow cytometers (catalog specifications), the proposed system is expected to offer advantages in terms of its simple and low-cost configuration, as well as its flexibility in handling samples with complex characteristics, including those containing a large amount of debris, thereby enabling application to a wide range of samples.
[Conclusion]
A film-transport-based automated microscope system was developed to enable high-throughput image acquisition for microscopic observation. By clarifying the imaging characteristics under bright-field and fluorescence conditions, fundamental insights were obtained for future system improvement and application. Although the acquisition speed is lower than that of conventional flow cytometers, the simplicity of the system and its high adaptability to various sample types suggest strong practical potential, particularly in environmental applications such as wastewater treatment. Future work will focus on implementing AI-based image analysis for environmental monitoring and sample evaluation.
In recent years, image analysis based on artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly advanced, enabling applications such as automatic classification and anomaly detection of plankton and other micro-organisms. However, the development of hardware systems capable of acquiring large volumes of stable and consistent images, essential for fully exploiting the performance of AI-based analysis, remains limited. As a result, further advancement of microscopy technologies that enable faster and more automated observation is strongly required. This study evaluates a sample fixation and transport approach based on roll-to-roll technology using polymer films.
[Method]
Operational verification was performed using a prototype test apparatus. Samples were dispensed onto the film, and it was confirmed that the samples were transported beneath the objective lens in accordance with film movement and sandwiched between two films. Based on these observations, conditions enabling continuous image acquisition were investigated under a microscopic transport sequence consisting of “movement – stop - imaging - re-movement.”
[Results]
Observation conditions were then examined using the test apparatus. When the interval between stopping the film and image acquisition was too short, the images became out of focus, likely due to film vibration. As a result, bright-field imaging achieved an acquisition rate of approximately one image per second. In contrast, fluorescence imaging required several seconds per image, mainly due to optical path switching and longer exposure times on the microscope side.
[Consideration]
Although the image acquisition speed is lower than that of instruments such as flow cytometers (catalog specifications), the proposed system is expected to offer advantages in terms of its simple and low-cost configuration, as well as its flexibility in handling samples with complex characteristics, including those containing a large amount of debris, thereby enabling application to a wide range of samples.
[Conclusion]
A film-transport-based automated microscope system was developed to enable high-throughput image acquisition for microscopic observation. By clarifying the imaging characteristics under bright-field and fluorescence conditions, fundamental insights were obtained for future system improvement and application. Although the acquisition speed is lower than that of conventional flow cytometers, the simplicity of the system and its high adaptability to various sample types suggest strong practical potential, particularly in environmental applications such as wastewater treatment. Future work will focus on implementing AI-based image analysis for environmental monitoring and sample evaluation.
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