White LED Ring Light

The White LED Ring Light from Aven, Inc. combines seven brightness choices with four lighting modes for customized adaptation to any specimen or objective. Sixty long-lasting LEDs provide soft, no-shadow illumination for life science labs, industrial inspection and materials analysis. The flicker-free white lights retain color integrity over time and operate at low temperature to minimize user discomfort, even for long spans.

"Full" mode operation uses all of the evenly distributed LEDs (35,000 lux), or users can illuminate one, two or three quadrants. Seven brightness settings add further precision. Applications include biotechnology research, health care lab work, forensics, gemology and failure or defect analysis of small parts. Installing the ring light below a microscope lens allows a working distance of 50 to 160 mm. The plug-in accessory has a 40 mm inner diameter and 70 mm outer diameter.

For more information visit www.aveninc.com.

Hand-held microscope now has infrared illumination

The latest Mighty Scope model from Aven, Inc features six near infrared LEDs, making it useful for laboratories, law enforcement, forensics, art restoration and other disciplines.

The longer wavelengths of the near infrared (NIR) spectrum let users of the hand-held microscope see and capture color differences or fine points that aren't visible in white light. This has practical applications for biomedical tissue analysis, chemical component differentiation, forgery detection, document examination and appraisals.

"There's no risk of damaging heat from the NIR Mighty Scope because it focuses cool light, unlike the thermal infrared wavelengths," says Mike Shahpurwala, president of the Michigan-based distributor of optical instruments. "It also reduces glare, an advantage for looking at reflective surfaces."

The new Mighty Scope has the same precision controls and other features as earlier models with white or ultraviolet light:

• Brightness control wheel allows fingertip illumination adjustment.
• Microsoft-compatible software (included) supports capture of still images, interval shots or video.
• Active pixel sensor technology provides sharp images from a 1.3-megapixel camera with a color CMOS sensor.
• Auto exposure, automatic white balance and auto gain control assure optimum image clarity.
• A USB port lets magnified images be viewed instantly on a VGA monitor or a higher-resolution SXGA monitor.
• Ergonomic design allows comfortable use with either hand.
• Microtouch shutter button eliminates the need to tap a computer key.

More information at www.aveninc.com.

Hand-held microscope with LCD display

The newly launched iLoupe XL hand-held microscope features a two-inch LCD display, 3 to 300 times magnification, and a 5.1-megapixel imaging sensor. Manufactured exclusively for Aven Inc., it can capture any angle thanks to a lens tube that rotates 180 degrees. The microscope captures JPEG images that can be stored on an included SD card.

The microscope can be used for applications such as materials analysis, quality control inspection, lab work, crime scene investigation, scientific field studies, illustrated presentations, and education research. The 2.5 X 6 X 1.5 inch unit has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that allows 5 hours of continuous operation or up to 7 hours of standby time.
More information at www.aveninc.com.

Polarizer added to handheld microscope

I mentioned the Digital Mighty Scope in my earlier post, Five digital microscopes under $300. Now, the second generation of the handheld microscope is being released from Aven Inc. It features a contrast-enhancing polarizer for viewing and taking digital close-ups of polished metal, silicon chips, ceramic, glass, and other shiny objects. In addition to industrial quality control, polarized light microscopy also is ideal for examining minerals, polymers and biological materials.

The microscope is like a mini-camera that zooms, providing polarized light views of electronic components, manufacturing parts, circuit boards, crystals and other items. Users can detect hairline cracks or other microscopic defects, as well as identify specimens reliably.

The microscope has magnifications adjustable from 10 to 200X. A brightness wheel allows fingertip control of polarized illumination from six white LEDs. Active pixel sensors provide sharp images and accurate color reproduction from the 1.3-megapixel camera. A USB connection to any laptop or desktop computer lets users edit images, share them and add them to presentations or publications. Microsoft-compatible software is included, with an upgraded version available as an option to provide a broader range of image annotation, measurement and manipulation.

The company will demonstrate its advanced Digital Mighty Scope at Pittcon 2010 in Orlando, Fla., next month.

More information at www.aveninc.com.