CCD Camera Channel

The MICROLAB STAR CCD Camera Channel provides visualization of labware on the deck.  Accompanying visualization software interprets the images, generates and interprets data which can be used to direct the pipetting and labware transfer functions of the workstation.  The first application of this functionality was for colony picking (EasyPick) however, it can be used for other applications as well.  Target plates are backlit with a light table carrier

The channel mounts on an arm and has the same independent y-axis (forward / backward) flexibility as the independent pipetting channels.  Dedicated software controls the camera's imaging settings and subsequent visualization interpretation.  Up to five parameters can be set to guide the pipetting.  These include object color, object area size, object circularity, object distance to neighbors, and object distance to perimeter margin.