MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 15, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nikon Instruments, Inc. (www.nikoninstruments.com) today announced the release of a new version of its industry leading microscopy acquisition and analysis software -- NIS-Elements. The new NIS-Elements Version 3.1 offers new functionality that spans the entire suite of tools from microscope and camera control to data export while continuing to provide comprehensive confocal and widefield imaging in a single unifying software platform.
"Remarkably fast-paced development has continuously delivered exciting new features for the digital microscopy market. Design enhancements and novel aspects of the software are the result of collaborative interaction with the research and industrial communities," said Stan Schwartz, vice president, Nikon Instruments, Inc. "NIS-Elements Version 3.1 incorporates an overall fresh and innovative interface with transparent dialogs that can independently dock and combine, allowing for a completely customizable desktop."
With Version 3.1, the NIS-Elements platform is more flexible. It now addresses multi-camera support, and multi-mode image applications using Nikon's premier A1 Confocal and TIRF control and acquisition can be integrated together seamlessly into a single experiment. In addition, an unlimited number of light source shutters can be controlled and displayed with a custom name in the interface.
Nikon also added several new selections for multi-dimensional experimental design into NIS-Elements. It is now possible to configure nested experiments within an experiment, providing ultimate flexibility for programming of parameter changes to correctly and efficiently control hardware for capturing biological events. Furthermore, a new DAQ interface is available for easily incorporating devices that accept or send a TTL or analog signal into a multi-dimensional image acquisition sequence.
NIS-Elements hosts a wide range of hardware and software control options for configuring confocal or widefield experimental parameters and stimulation for a variety of applications, including running FRET over time, FRAP, photoactivation, uncaging, Kaede photoconversion, and more. Also, new deconvolution choices are available for Real Time deconvolution, 2D Blind, 3D Blind and Iterative Deconvolution. In addition, new options for X,Y alignment over time can also be utilized. New image processing tools are also integrated into NIS-Elements, and High Dynamic Range processing to optimize the light exposure for each pixel is available for acquisition and post acquisition on already captured datasets.
New analysis tools include enhanced region of interest tools with links to 2D tracking, a new Object Catalog for analysis and display of measured objects for easy sorting, filtering and viewing, new ratio options for calcium calibration and titration calibration. Several additional rendering choices are built into the 3D Volume Viewer, along with an easy to use AVI Movie Maker, giving cinematographic freedom to set the speed, rotation, and optional peel aways of channels frame by frame through the playback of a volume dataset. New surface view and height map options are also included in the Extended Depth of Focus functionality.
NIS-Elements Version 3.1 offers new presentation and export tools for creating montages of data and analysis results such as graphs and measurements, making it easy to create an AVI file of timelapse data side by side and an updating graph of intensity over time. The new version also it possible to capture, display, analyze and export data generated from 6-D datasets. Volume and tiled views, image counts, live graphing and intensity information are available during acquisition. As the quantity and complexity of image datasets continues to expand, the new software adds the necessary functionality and intuitive workflow and controls for data extraction, management and export.
About Nikon Instruments, Inc.
Nikon Instruments, Inc. is a world leader in the development and manufacture of optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical and industrial applications. Now in its 92nd year, Nikon provides complete optical systems that offer optimal versatility, performance and productivity. Cutting-edge instruments include microscopes, precision measuring equipment, digital imaging products and software. Nikon Instruments is the microscopy and digital imaging arm of Nikon Inc., the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology. For more information, visit www.nikoninstruments.com. Product-related inquiries may be directed to Nikon Instruments at 800-52-NIKON.