Exciting Updates and Progress

Hey everyone!

We know it’s been a bit quiet on our end, but rest assured, we've been hard at work behind the scenes! Our team has been making significant strides, pushing for improvements and changes that will ultimately result in a lower-cost and higher-quality instrument.

Benedict and Tobias have been in constant communication, working diligently to move the project forward. As we mentioned in an earlier update, the controller and XYZ tower have safely arrived in Chile, while the microfluidics control board made its way to Germany.

Benedict has been busy updating the online documentation for the light sheet. You can check out the progress here: UC2 Light-Sheet Overview and Detailed Documentation, and on GitHub. While we don't have complete documentation yet, rest assured, it’s in the works as we integrate technical improvements that have made previous information obsolete.

In our Chilean version, we initially planned to improve the light sheet formation with a combination of cylindrical lenses. However, thanks to a recent tip from Andrew York, we replaced this complex configuration with a simpler, cheaper, and better solution: a Powell lens. We custom printed an alignment holder for it and successfully tested it. (Check out the photos below!)

 

Powell lens in it's printed UC2 holder

 

Powell lens in action: It provides a laser line that has a more homogenous intensity distribution than that of elliptical lenses.

We've also re-imagined the slit, designing a 3D-printed version. This slit confines the Gaussian beam to its homogenous inner region before light sheet formation, providing a more well-defined illumination. (Look out for the GIF demonstrating the adjustable slit!)

 

Our 3d printed adjustable slit.

Last but not least, we've updated and added new CAD design files to our Onshape library. You can access and modify these designs freely online.

Overall, we've made significant design advances recently that weren't part of our original plan, though testing the overall light sheet is a bit behind schedule. We’re very close now and will soon be able to share test images of the complete and improved light sheet design.

Stay tuned for more updates and thank you for your continued support!

Best regards,

Tobias, Benedict, Matías and other contributors of the project team