EXPERIMENTS

Instead of applying a traditional method to observe these microstructure we use an additional video camera with a multistage digital image-processing system to analyze these microstructures more quickly, powerfully and economically. The specifications of our device are listed as follows:

1. Dimension: 360mm×560mm×640mm
2. Light source: 500-670 nm Lamp
3. Image Scanning device
Scanning width: 10 mm
Magnification: 140×
Resolution: 256×240
4. x-y table
Resolution of translation stage: 0.01mm
Speed : 450 mm/min
5. Processing speed: 5 times/second

The frame grabber VIGAS is a plug-in computer card. It has a frame memory organized at 640×480×8 bits. The incoming video signal has an 8-bit resolution at a rate of 30 frames per second. An 8-bit A/D converter digitized the signal to 256 gray levels. Each pixel in the frame memory may take a value between 0 and 255, with the value 0 corresponding to the black level and 255 to the white level according to a modified look-up table. TC-4017 x-y table provide linear translating speed pulses to x-y axis translation control circuits in the unit which provides an input to motor controllers MC 6809 associated with the motors driving the translation sieve. Each of the translation control circuits is provided with a motor-driven potentiometer providing an input into the unit. Alternatively, each of the translation control circuits may use a solid-state electronic interface between the microprocessor and the motors.

The CCD camera apparatus having both automatic and manual modes of operation is adapted for coupling to a microscope. The apparatus includes a viewfinder for viewing a scene in the microscope and a CCD camera with a relay lens. The pattern reflected along a collimating projection lens assembled to the CCD camera to produce a scanning pattern of light.

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