Imaging and microscopy suite software and hardware upgrades

我们要求提供40468.50美元的资金，用于升级与两台频繁使用的显微镜相关的软件和计算机。现有设备包括一台低倍率立体荧光解剖显微镜和一台高倍率荧光复合显微镜。这两架显微镜都配有专用摄像机。两个摄像头都通过一台共享的Mac G4电脑运行，运行Openlab软件版本3。显微镜及其相关的照相机、计算机和软件是在多年（1996年、1999年和2000年）期间购买的，总价值超过17.1万美元。从那时起，这两种显微镜，以及相关的计算机和软件，已经被许多教师，研究人员，研究生和本科生在追求他们的研究项目中使用。现有的显微镜都很好。解剖显微镜光学是理想的各种胚胎的摄影，包括青蛙，鱼，苍蝇和植物。由于其优良的光学性能，复合瞄准镜是理想的。将显微镜和相机连接在一起的是Openlab软件——一个功能强大且用户友好的元素。然而，Openlab软件和运行它的Mac电脑都过时了，而且问题重重。这台电脑太旧了，运行速度和性能都低于最佳水平。虽然它是必不可少的，而且被大量使用，但目前的软件和计算机配置限制了它的使用。升级到这个显微镜套件的计算机和软件将增加功能和生产力，因此是有保证的。我们在此请求资金升级立体瞄准镜的硬件和摄像头，现有的计算机和成像软件，使现有的显微镜可以继续使用。此升级具有成本效益，因为此请求仅占系统建立成本的一小部分。新计算机将是最先进的，并提供现代成像软件所需的最佳速度和内存资源。此外，用户熟悉的简单而强大的Openlab软件只是更新到当前版本（5.5.1）。向更新的过渡应该是无缝的，并将迅速和有益地影响现有用户的研究项目。

We request $40468.50 in funds to upgrade the software and computer associated with two heavily used microscopes. The existing equipment includes a low-magnification stereo florescent dissecting microscope, and a high-magnification florescent compound microscope. The microscopes are both outfitted with dedicated cameras. Both cameras are run through a shared Mac G4 computer running Openlab software Version 3. The microscopes and its associated camera, computer and software were purchased over a number of years (1996, 1999 and 2000) for a total of over $171,000. Since then both microscopes, along with the associated computer and software, have been used by many faculty, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students alike in pursuit of their research projects. The existing microscopes are excellent. The dissecting microscope optics are ideal for photography of a variety of embryos, including frog, fish, fly, and plants. The compound scope is ideal due to its excellent optics. Tying the microscopes and the camera together is the Openlab software - a powerful and yet user friendly element. HOWEVER, the Openlab software and Mac computer on which is runs are both dated and problematic. The computer is old and running at less than optimal speeds and capabilities. While essential and heavily used, the current software and computer configuration are limiting use. An upgrade to the computer and software of this microscope suite would increase functionality and productivity, and as such is warranted. We here request funds to upgrade the hardware and camera for the stereo scope, the existing computer and imaging software, such that the existing microscopes may still be used. This upgrade is cost effective, as this request is only a fraction of the cost that the system was to establish. The new computer will be state of the art and provide the optimum speed and memory resources that are required by modern imaging software. In addition the simple and yet powerful Openlab software, which is familiar to the users, is simply being updates to a current version (5.5.1). The transition to the update should be seamless, and will quickly and beneficially impact existing users research programs.