A simple method for the location and auto-alignment of sample fiducials for sample registration using widely available MATLAB/LabVIEW software is demonstrated. The method is robust, easily implemented, and applicable to a wide variety of experiment types for improved reproducibility and increased setup speed. The software uses image processing to locate and measure the diameter and center point of circular fiducials for distance self-calibration and iterative alignment and can be used with most imaging systems. The method is demonstrated to be fast and reliable in locating and aligning sample fiducials, provided here by a nanofabricated array, with accuracy within the optical resolution of the imaging system. The software was further demonstrated to register, load, and sample the dynamically wetted array.
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August 2015
Brief Report|
August 25 2015
Note: A simple image processing based fiducial auto-alignment method for sample registration
Wesley D. Robertson
;
Wesley D. Robertson
1
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter
, Hamburg 27761, Germany
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Lucas R. Porto;
Lucas R. Porto
2Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of British Columbia
, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Candice J. X. Ip;
Candice J. X. Ip
2Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of British Columbia
, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Megan K. T. Nantel;
Megan K. T. Nantel
2Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of British Columbia
, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Friedjof Tellkamp;
Friedjof Tellkamp
1
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter
, Hamburg 27761, Germany
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Yinfei Lu;
Yinfei Lu
1
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter
, Hamburg 27761, Germany
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R. J. Dwayne Miller
R. J. Dwayne Miller
a)
1
Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter
, Hamburg 27761, Germany
3Department of Chemistry and Physics,
University of Toronto
, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: dwayne.miller@mpsd.mpg.de
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 086105 (2015)
Article history
Received:
July 09 2015
Accepted:
August 11 2015
Citation
Wesley D. Robertson, Lucas R. Porto, Candice J. X. Ip, Megan K. T. Nantel, Friedjof Tellkamp, Yinfei Lu, R. J. Dwayne Miller; Note: A simple image processing based fiducial auto-alignment method for sample registration. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 August 2015; 86 (8): 086105. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4929408
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