IntensityCheck – The light measuring app for microscope performance checks and consistent fluorescence imaging

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 3; p. e0214659
• Main Author: Dormann, Dirk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 28.03.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Archives & records; Cellular biology; Engineering and Technology; Fluorescence; Fluorescence microscopy; Illumination; Imaging; Lasers; Light; Light sources; Luminous intensity; Measurement; Medical research; Methods; Methyltestosterone; Microscopes; Microscopy; Microscopy, Fluorescence - instrumentation; Mobile Applications; Physical Sciences; Research and Analysis Methods; Sensors; Smartphones; Time Factors; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214659

Quantitative fluorescence imaging is an essential tool in biomedical research. It requires consistent and repeatable conditions such as constant sample illumination. Even on a confocal microscope this can usually only be achieved by using an external laser power meter. By combining low-cost wireless Arduino based light sensors with an easy to use Android smartphone app we provide microscope users with a simple but powerful tool to maintain sample illumination for quantitative imaging, for tracking the intensity, stability and alignment of the light sources and for comparing microscope performance.