VayTek's Homepage
VayTek Website Links
VayTek offers Advanced Image Processing Systems, including both hardware and software for:
- Microscopy
- Industrial Inspection
- Medical Imaging
- Quality Control
- Non-Destructive Testing
- Deconvolution of Confocal Images
- 3D Volume Visualization and Measurement
VayTek, Inc.
305 West Lowe Ave.
Fairfield, IA
Tel 641-472-2227
Fax 641-472-8131
Email vaytek@vaytek.com
Before Deconvolution
After Deconvolution
Science-Related Images for Education: All images on this site may be downloaded and used for educational purposes. Please note that only low resolution, 72 dpi images are presented on our Web site. For higher resolution, larger images that demonstrate VayTek's deconvolution and 3D volume visualization software, please fax or email your requests to our home office.
This site looks best with a monitor setting 800 pixels wide; and when viewed with one of the following Web Browsers: Safari, Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.
AOL users should turn off image compression in their web preferences. AOL further compresses JPEG and GIF images, often rendering them indecipherable.
VayTek's Homepage
VayTek sets the Standard of Excellence
in Digital Image Processing for Science, Medicine, and Research
in Digital Image Processing for Science, Medicine, and Research
PROTEUS - The Best of the Best
TURNKEY SYSTEMS for Every Need
For the U.S.A. market. For international sales, see Distributors page for a representative near you.
Proteus is the flagship of VayTek's deconvolution products. It is the culmination of years of experience in research and development in digital techniques for microscopy.
Proteus combines the most light sensitive cameras, the most accurate z axis control, the best illumination sources, cutting edge technology in computers and the most powerful algorithms available to produce a high-end, high-tolerance digital confocal microscope.
An important feature of Proteus is its adaptability. We retrofit Proteus to your microscope and your equipment. We can swap components in the system to customize it to fit your needs. This means Proteus can grow with you. It also means we adapt our system to solve your problems, and not the reverse.
We begin with a base unit that includes a computer, cooled CCD camera, light source, z axis control, framegrabber, image acquisition software and deconvolution software. Then we analyze your needs and substitute components where appropriate.
The result is a digital imaging system that equals (or in some cases exceeds) the capabilities of a scanning confocal microscope for a range of applications .
 |
 |
Because Proteus uses a cooled CCD camera it can capture images that are dimmer than those typically seen on a scanning confocal microscope. If you substitute a pulsed laser for the standard light source, photobleaching will be greatly diminished. More importantly, published research has shown that for certain applications images deconvolved with the Proteus algorithms can retain more detail (Brackenhoff, 1989) and give more precise measurements (Yelamarty, 1990) than those obtained with a scanning confocal microscope. Furthermore, even those images captured with a scanning confocal can be deconvoled yielding results which approach the theoretical limits of resolution (Shaw, 1991 - see Bibliography).
Proteus is ideal for working with extremely faint signals and very small specimens. In situ hybridization and fluorescently filled neurons are just two examples. Proteus also creates low-noise, highly detailed images that are excellent for 3D reconstructions.
The base unit and options are listed below. For more detailed information on Proteus, contact VayTek directly.
Proteus Options
- Cooled CCD camera - camera information link
- Pentium computer, Super VGA monitor, 24 bit graphics
- or a Mac computer and monitor
- MicroTome software - user selectable algorithms: nearest neighbor, VayTek's proprietary single image haze removal, and constrained iterative
- Shutter and filter control
- Ludl z axis motor and controller
- Image-Pro Plus for Windows for 2D image analysis
- or IPLab Spectrum for Macintosh for 2D image analysis
- or VayTek's acquisition software "PixelSmith"
- VoxBlast 3D Reconstruction
Options and Substitutions
Camera Options
Cooled CCD, Integrating camera, (color optional)
Computer Options (see technical
recommendations below)
Pentium or Macintosh
Computer system options are configurable
Z Axis Control
Ludl z axis controller and motor
Illumination Sources
Standard UV Illuminator
Fiber Optic Scrambler
Filter Wheels and Shutters
These options are available but may require some modifications
to your microscope.
Software
Software is available to integrate the above items. IBM software
runs under Windows. Mac deconvolution software uses IP Lab Spectrum.
The deconvolution algorithms are the most accurate available.
Computer Recommendations for VayTek systems
We recommend the following computer configurations for the best
performance using VayTek software:
Platform: PC
- Pentium computer or better, 800 Mhz or better
- 1 GB or more of RAM
- 40GB hard drive or larger
- Color Monitor with 1280 x 1024 resolution or better
- Good quality video graphics card
- 2 serial ports
- 1 parallel port
- CD Read/Write drive
- 100 MB Zip disk drive
- 3.5 inch floppy drive
- Ethernet card
- Modem is optional
- Windows 2000 or XP
- 1 free PCI slot
Platform: Mac
- G3 or better, 800 Mhz or better
- 1 GB or more of RAM
- 40GB hard drive or larger
- Color Monitor with 1280 x 1024 resolution or better
- Good quality video graphics output
- 2 USB ports for security keys
- CD Read/Write drive
- 100 MB Zip disk drive
- 3.5 inch floppy drive
- Ethernet card
- Modem is optional
Turnkey Systems and Hardware
from VayTek
VayTek will sell additional hardware or complete turnkey systems. VayTek can provide a customer with:
- Cameras
- Microscopes
- Z axis stepper motors
- Computers (PC, Mac and UNIX computers)
- Framegrabbers
- Shutters
- Filter Wheels
- Stable Table (VayTek's vibration isolation platform)
- Digital imaging software, from acquisition to analysis to output
VayTek offers two popular turnkey packages:
- VayTek PC 2000 - an affordable package for Windows
- VayTek Power Mac 2000 - an affordable package for the Macintosh.
With the PC versions, a user can buy a complete turnkey package that includes a computer, framegrabber, deconvolution software, camera, data acquisition software, 3D reconstruction software, and 2D analysis software, excluding the microscope, for under $25,000. Even this low-cost system is capable in most cases of producing high resolution images equivalent to those made by expensive confocal microscopes.
Turnkey systems can be customized and retrofitted to the user's current equipment.
VayTek PC 2000
VayTek's PC 2000 is a complete, powerful, high-end system for image acquisition, deconvolution, analysis and 3D reconstruction.
The VayTek PC 2000 consists of:
- Pentium Computer, 1 Gig RAM, 40 Gb hard disk, CD-Rom, Internal Zip Drive
- Super VGA color monitor
- Framegrabber
- CCD camera
- Ludl z axis motor and controller
- ColorScan
- MicroTome for Windows deconvolution software
- Image Pro+ for Windows for data acquisition and 2D image analysis (note that the StandAlone version of MicroTome for Windows, and/or VayTek's own acquisition software, PixelSmith, may suit many users)
- VoxBlast Windows 3D reconstruction software
- One day Installation and Training
This is a complete system that is ideal for doing very sensitive fluorescence microscopy.
Prices vary depending upon current market values for hardware components.
Call VayTek for an itemized quotation. International prices may vary: 641-472-2227
VayTek Mac 2000
VayTek's Mac 2000 is a complete and powerful system for image acquisition, deconvolution, analysis and 3D reconstruction.
The VayTek Mac 2000 consists of:
- Current MAC OS and hardware, 1 Gig Mb RAM, 40 Gb hard disk, color monitor
- Framegrabber board
- CCD camera
- Ludl z axis motor and controller
- Mmover software
- MicroTome Mac deconvolution software
- IPLab Spectrum for data acquisition and 2D image analysis
- VoxBlast Mac 3D reconstruction software
- One day Installation and Training
Prices vary depending upon current market values for hardware components.
Contact VayTek for an itemized quotation. International prices may vary. 641-472-2227
Homepage|Product Guide|Imaging Mall|FAQ
|Contact Us|Application Notes