MICROARRAY
A microarray is a 2D array on a solid substrate that assays large amounts of biological material using high-throughput screening miniaturized, multiplex and parallel processing and detection methods. Microarray analysis makes it possible to determine thousands of gene expression values simultaneously. Change in gene expression as a response to diseases can be detected allowing a better understanding and differentiation of disease at a molecular level.
Hardware - Automated Spotting Stage
Automated Spotting Stage - first prototype
Automated Spotting Stage - zoom in
This automated stage is designed to pre-fill reagent into each micro-well, which is the first step of microarry anaysis. tHIS sTAGE INCLUDES
XY MOTORIZED STAGE (SERVO)
VISION SYSTEM
CAMERA,
LED RING-LIGHT
ENCLOSURE
Automated Spotting Stage v2
MANUAL Z-STAGE
LIGHT PIPING SYSTEM
LASER DIODE
SYRINGE
CAPILLARY TUBE
Automated Spotting Stage v2- top view
What's new
Piezomotor to improve precision
MOTORIZE Z-stage
side view camera
uniform illumination with a ring-light fixture
accurate laser diode light spot control
Top-mounted Ring light Fixture Top Side
Top-mounted Ring light Fixture Bottom Side
Software - Computer Vision
Image with old illumination system
Pre-processed Image
Post-processed Image
IMGAE PROCESSING
Better illumination provides uniform blob shape helps the blob finding part
Local Thresholding to encounter coner lighting variance, which adapts to changing illumination conditions by comparing the relative intensity of each pixel to the intensity of its neighbors.
FIND THE BLOB AND CALCULATE TILT ANGLE FOR CALIBRATION
Indexing blob ID for automatic spotting
Light Piping System
Light Spot
lIGHT pIPING System
A laser diode on top is shining through the syringe
a capillary tube inside the syringe
THE SYRINGE IS PRESSURE SEALED TO DISPENSE pcr REAGENT
A light spot appears on the microarray reflects the syringe location