? CDM Optics, Inc. proposes a new imaging paradigm that will substantially increase throughput of automated cell analysis systems used in diverse biomedical applications. The proposed technology, Software Selective Focus, will eliminate the need for continual and time-consuming focus adjustment as a sample is scanned. Software Selective Focus dramatically expands the information gathering capability of microscope optics, simultaneously capturing an image and providing ranging information along the Z axis. ? ? We will use specialized optics to """"""""encode"""""""" many planes of information through depth into a single image. Custom software will """"""""decode"""""""" the information, providing not only a sharp image, but also an accurate indication of focus position, or range from the objective to the specimen. We propose to modify a cell analysis system to have a Depth of Information (Dol) that is at least 15x as large as a classical microscope's depth of field. As long as the specimen is anywhere within the Dol, the Software Selective Focus can extract a sharp image and indicate the focus range. The sharp image is used for further analysis or archival. The range information from each image allows the focus position to be fine tuned as other locations of the specimen are imaged. ? ? The goal of the Phase I/II work effort is to develop a product that significantly increases throughput of automated microscopy systems to enhance drug discovery, cancer detection and other biomedical applications. This technology serves an even larger market in medical industrial and consumer applications: Surgical imaging used in remote and computer assisted surgery, Diagnostic imaging applications, e.g., capsule and conventional endoscopes, Non medical machine vision applications including and inspection for consumer products, process and finish inspection of raw materials and semiconductors, and Consumer digital imaging: cell phones, still and video imaging. ? ?
