Stereo Technology in Microscopy

The stereo sound was the wave of the 60s. The technology enable the production of three dimensional sound effects with the use of microphones; two microphones recorded sound and these were connected to two separate channels connected loudspeakers. Listening to vinyl records back then, music enthusiasts heard sound coming from different directions.

In stereo microscopes, images not music from two different angles are combined – to create an illusion of depth of the specimen. This happens when different images of the same object are presented to each eye. The microscope offers a lateral and upright view of the object from two dissimilar angles and the eyes sees the object in 3D. With stereoscopy features, two eyepieces plus two objectives, the microscope is a perfect instrument for dissecting specimens or inspecting larger objects, i.e. rock minerals and diamonds.

Stereoscopy gives dissecting convenience. Dissecting the specimen becomes easier because viewing the specimen at same time while dissecting it can be done. Larger specimens like rock minerals can also be conveniently viewed because there is more distance between the objective and the stage. Custom stereo microscopes can also be obtained from some dealers or can be assembled according to specific needs.

Types of Microscopes with Stereo Functions

Microscopy research requirements demand specific functions that can be responded with the different microscopes available. For stereo or for dissecting specimen, such as plant or human tissue, the stereo feature comes useful. However, you don’t just get any microscope out there because it has STEREO written all over it.

Concerned dealers inquire what you need for a microscope to ensure that you get that you get exactly what you need for stereo microscopes. There are binocular and trinocular microscopes with stereo features. Different models and brands will come with or without fixed magnification with a magnification selection knob, and easy zoom in and zoom out function.

Digital technology also goes with stereo technology. You can have the best of both worlds in this amazing piece of instrument, and you don’t need bulky contraptions to view 3D imaging. With a USB camera added, excellent imaging for live video and still jpg is possible. You might also need an upright rather than an inverted microscope.

If you are a gemologist, stereo binocular microscopes should fit the bill. You can see a 3D image of a tiny diamond and examine it for flaws. Student laboratories will benefit from a pole-mounted microscope.

Stereo Does It

Had it not been for stereoscopy, it would still be tricky to dissect specimens accurately without the aid of the eyepiece. For illumination, the microscope may use a fluorescent bulb, LED ring light or fiber optics. Added to stereo 3D imaging some stereo microscopes have video capability and a digital camera.

Before you dismiss stereo microscopes as adult instrument, let it be known that the microscope is also great for educating young children; prices may range from under 100 dollars or can run up to thousands of dollars. It is your choice.

CanScope – complete solution for all your microscopy needs.
Contact: 1-877-56SCOPE(72673) or info@CanScope.ca
Looking for stereo microscopes in Toronto? No problem. You can also find a polarized light microscope in Toronto and the latest in metallurgical microscope in Toronto all the time. Visit CanScope.ca today.

Indeed, there are so many updates on the word of microscopes today. If you’ve only known this laboratory instrument from school and never met one ever since, then you’d be surprised at how many different kinds there are already.

So, to update your information bank on the world of microscopes, this article will talk about an interesting type: the stereo microscope. The stereo microscope is also known as a dissecting microscope. This is because this type is mostly used for close work such as dissection, microsurgery and even watch-making.

The Uniqueness

The stereo microscope differs from the other types of microscopes in a lot of ways. First, while others only have one eyepiece (the cylinder containing the lenses and the part that you put your eyes on to see the specimen in question), the stereo microscope has two. Yes, like binocular, the dissecting microscope makes use of two separate optical paths to give you a better view of the specimen. As a result, this feature gives you a three-dimensional image of the sample being examined.

Second, the stereo microscope uses a different kind of illumination. Compound microscopes use transmitted illumination (light “transmitted through the object”) while stereo microscopes use reflected illumination (light “reflected from the surface of an object”). Of course, this makes sense because of the 3D capability of stereo microscopes. Reflected light is very useful when examining objects that are either too thick or that are opaque – in such a case, transmitting light through it would be next to impossible.

The stereo microscope also has two magnification systems: fixed and zoom. Fixed magnification is achieved using a pair of objective lenses with a set magnification degree. Basically, the degree of magnification that you get solely depends on what your lenses are capable of. Zoom magnification, on the other hand, is capable of varying degrees of magnification. Have you ever heard of the terms “zoom in” and “zoom out?” Well, that’s exactly how the zoom magnification in a stereo microscope works.

Stereo microscopes are also capable of digital displays, as in the case of digital microscopes. Having the image projected on a high resolution monitor is very useful especially in surgeries. If you are ever a fan of House and Grey’s Anatomy, then you’ve surely seen one of those episodes where a monitor is used to view the specimen examined under a stereo microscope.

Microscopes have truly gone a long way. Before, only one lens is used; today, microscopes with two optical paths are already in existence. Surely, Anton van Leeuwenhoek did not dream that his “invention” would go this long, and that it would be used outside of biology.

Still, it’s wonderful to know that Science continues to re-invent and to upgrade itself. It’s nice to know that it continues to work better to provide us with better answers. After all, how will we understand the world more if not for Science? How would we know what an atom looks like if not for a microscope?

CanScope – complete solution for all your microscopy needs.
Contact: 1-877-56SCOPE(72673) or info@CanScope.ca

For your biological microscopes needs, visit CanScope.ca. Check out their site too for selections of a stereo microscope or a polarized light microscope.