The Image and Document Management System for Microscopy

The Image and Document Management System for Microscopy

Image and Document Management at a Glance The Image and Document Management System ImageAccess is a Windows based software tool for acquisition, processing, analysis, management, printing and presentation of image and text data as well as processes in microscopy. Using ImageAccess means optimising your work flow. All data, images, documents and results are immediately at hand. Your processes, starting from image acquisition, processing and management up to generating reports are simplified, fast and organised in a cost effective way. Due to its modular architecture, flexibility and scalability, as well as its variety of available functions, ImageAccess is highly qualified for all imaging tasks in industrial environments. The comprehensive and intuitive user interface and the scalability from single stations to overall network solutions turn ImageAccess into a universal tool for routine imaging work.

Image Acquisition Supporting a wide variety of image sources, starting from analogue video and high resolution digital cameras up to interfaces for electron microscopy and automated acquisition of images from external sources, ImageAccess provides an optimised solution for all microscopy working environments. Image Sources and System Solutions Digital microscopy systems Digital cameras for photography Scanners for images, slides and X-Ray films Light microscopes Stereo microscopes Repro stands SEM / EDS, TEM, STEM, micro probes X-Ray devices Tomographes Optical and mechanical Adaptations

Image acquisition Functions Efficient acquisition of image and meta data in daily routine work is a key function in a professional Image Management System. This includes device interfaces for customer specific tasks, data interfaces for specialised image and file formats, as well as an intuitive user interface. Automated image calibration Identical user interface for all image sources Automated and used defined file name generation Automated image processing during acquisition Z image stack acquisition for 3D Topology visualisation Multifocus, MovieRecorder, Overlay aquisition modes Direct acquisition into modules such as processing, measurement Acquisition of SEM and TEM files including working parameters Reading and writing of over 40 image file formats, including parameter readout, like IPTC, EXIF 30 different 2D file formats (TIF, JPEG, JPEG2000, etc.)

Optional Modules Additional Plug-Ins for direct processing of image data within the Management System Measurement / Annotation Interactive Measurement and Annotation on images, featuring automated calibration during acquisition and overlay/burn-in technique. Image Processing The most often used functions for processing and enhancement directly integrated for manual and automated use (macro controlled) Topo-Viewer Topographic 3D visualisation of surfaces, 2D SnapShots of 3D views Grain Size Comparison Grain size determination by interactive comparison versus ASTM-/ DIN- or user defined charts 3D Applications 3D Visualisation, interactive 3D distance measurement, deconvolution, automated and manual image alignment Micro Hardness Interactive calculation of micro hardness by single or series indentation, including export to Excel 2000/XP Image Comparison Overlap, swapping, line-up with separation lines, half transparency view Layer Thickness Interactive measurement and automated calculation of layer thickness Image Assembly Manual and calculated assembly of partially overlapping images to an overview panorama image Image Analysis Easy to learn and efficient image analysis specifically for material surfaces

Presentation and Printing A lot of time is usually spent for generating reports and presentations. The established Office applications cannot provide satisfactory tools for an efficient image and data management. ImageAccess as an Organisation and Management System helps you to handle image and meta data in a most effective way and to easily create MS Word or MS Power- Point presentations. Documentation in Word and PowerPoint Drag&Drop allows direct import of archive images and associated meta data and archive field contents directly into reports or into user defined page layouts. With AutoReport complete image series can automatically be inserted from the gallery or lightbox into Word reports. Image printing in standarised magnification is easily possible The Zoom Function allows displaying any number of sub-areas of an overview image in user defined zoom windows, featuring measurement calibration and micron bar display In the reports, archive text contents, measurements, calibration bars and annotations are stored in an overlay plane to provide best print results at any resolution. The optional and user defined reference image technique allows high printing quality at minimal memory and network loads. DirectLink permanently references the images in the report with the original images in the archive to provide back-tracking and updating at a key click. The image resolution can be optimised for presentation purposes, printing, exporting as document, for PDF creation or Email attachment ReportServer Moves the print job to an external server Accelerates the local printing process from minutes to seconds Report printing is independent of local client performance Centralised original image transfer and display reduces network load.

Functions Automation of the complete image acquisition process featuring project oriented image naming, image processing, image file generation and structured storage and calibration of each image acquired User defined archives with multi-hierarchical folder structures, user defined form views and data fields for individual organisation and adaptation to customer specific requirements and work flows. The gallery and list views provide the necessary overview of images and data. The list is sortable and its fields can be selected and arranged as required. The dynamic gallery shows either sorted images of single folders or the complete archive The thumbnail images in the gallery can be linked to data fields and function symbols. Their size and arrangement in the gallery view is user defined. The high quality thumbnail images allow for fast browsing of the archive, even on slow computers and in networks, as they are independent of the assigned original image file You can place your images from all parts of the archive in the light box for presentations, reports, slide shows, image comparisons and assemblies. In original image view the quick zoom feature and the navigator allow seamless swapping between the various functional modules, from image processing to interactive measurement, from hardness testing to image assembly, etc. User defined, hierarchical keyword lists simplify and standardise text data entry Fast and intuitive searching and sorting of image and text data in the archive Automated image storage using project oriented image file name generation Document management for any kind of documents such as MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio), or pdf with direct call of assigned application. Power- Point presentations can automatically be divided into single slides to be stored in the archive, and can searched for and reused for new presentations via drag& drop into PowerPoint. Management functions for the organisation of datasheets, execution of image processing functions, sending images as email attachments, and for moving, copying, importing/exporting and extracting images and assigned data

Technical Specifications ImageAccess is based on a Windows C++ applications for Windows XP/Windows 7, as well as on a platform independent navigator browser for Intranet/Internet environments. ImageAccess is designed to work in network environments and makes use of a floating license concept for customer specific performance adaptation by module selection. The open client/server database concept on Oracle and MS SQL Server base is scalable starting from small, local systems up to complete network systems and allows efficient handling of unlimited numbers of projects and image data. Access to images and associated data in the LAN environment is achieved by Windows based ImageAccess clients or platform independent in an Intranet/Internet environment using the ims navigator browser. A wide variety of interfaces for the communication with external applications is provided, such as LIMS and project or document management systems. Data exchange, synchronisation of project work flows, remote control of client applications as well as process control mechanisms are available. An extended Access Right Management allows the detailed allocation of data and functions to user groups. Imagic Bildverarbeitung AG Europastrasse 27 CH-8@52 Glattbrugg Tel +4@ (0)44 809 40 60 Fax +4@ (0)44 809 40 61 info@imagic.ch www.imagic-imaging.com Scientific image material courtesy of: Allianz Zentrum für Technik, Ismaning FH Aalen, Aalen Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart Sulzer Innotec, Winterthur