This idea was born from covid quarantine back in January 2022. The goal is to provide a low cost option to automate image capture from c-mount digital camera on a stereo microscope where images can be captured at discrete intervals. These images would be processed to create a focus staged composite image. This idea is still in the prototype stage. There are still a couple more details I need to work out before I can offer it as product for purchase.
Current design:
- Automate image capture and precise motor control using C# code.
- Integration with DRC 4.0 allowing DRC to capture the images
- Control of the motor over a USB connection to a Windows 10 workstation.
- Control the speed, direction, and step interval of a stepper motor using a Tic 36v4 Stepper controller board (and motor) from Pololu.com
- Attached stepper motor attached to Lego axle allows the specimen to me moved up or down adjusting the area of a specimen that is within focal area of digital camera attached to the microscope using a c-mount.
- Specimen stage composed from Legos and is allows very small motion intervals with 27:1 gear ratio.
- End result: Improve method used to create a focus stacked image of a micro-mount mineral specimen.
