ioLight compact inverted microscope

ioLight has developed a compact, lightweight and robust inverted microscope for use in the laboratory, which is tough enough to be deployed inside an incubator. The inverted microscope is 170 mm in size and sealed to protect the inner workings. This means it is suitable for observing cell culture in a lab incubator without having to open the door.

Cell development is monitored by the inverted microscope, with the lens underneath the petri dish looking upwards into the sample with illuminators both above and below the sample. Because the inverted microscope accommodates a petri dish, observation of cells and organisms can be achieved using standard laboratory procedures rather than having to prepare a slide sample. Through a simple Wi-Fi connection, the microscope enables images to be stored on a tablet, mobile phone or laptop and shared instantly with collaborators anywhere.

Simple to use, the inverted microscope uses both bright-field and dark-field illumination. Bright-field mode illuminates high-contrast samples from above, displaying them against a bright background. Dark-field mode illuminates lower contrast or even transparent samples with scattered light, highlighting them against a dark background — this allows a wide range of samples to be imaged. Because the device is wireless, users can leave it inside an incubator without worrying about disrupting the experimental conditions.