IPLab for Windows v2.2 Introduced

(VIENNA, VA -- January 14, 1998) Scanalytics is pleased to announce that its popular scientific imaging processing software, IPLab is now available in Version 2.1 for Windows! This version of IPLab for Windows comes in response to the needs and requests of customers and other research scientists, and continues to be developed along with IPLab for Macintosh, which has been available for the Macintosh platform since 1989.

Features of IPLab for Windows
IPLab for Windows is not just a port of IPLab for Macintosh from Macintosh to Windows; rather, it was written from the ground up as a full 32-bit Windows application to take advantage of the advanced speed and memory usage features of the Windows 95 platform. Thus, users who have both Macintoshes and PCs in their laboratories will feel comfortable using IPLab on either platform.

"Developing IPLab for Windows from scratch has allowed us to incorporate all of the successful components from our market-leading Macintosh version, while adding new features and components to the Windows version," said Paul Krumpe, IPLab Product Manager. "The parallel development of both IPLab products has resulted in the highest-quality, multi-platform imaging tools for the scientific market."

IPLab for Windows supports a new 4-dimensional (x-y-z-t) image data type and includes familiar features such as contrast enhancement, pseudocoloring, 2-D filtering, background subtraction, and multi-channel color overlays. IPLab for Windows users can calculate integrated intensity, mean, min, and max values plus several morphometry properties, including area, perimeter and roundness, on object regions within their images.

Image acquisition options include capture of grayscale and color images from virtually any video camera plus a variety of cooled CCD digital cameras. IPLab for Windows handles a broad range of image data, including 8-bit and 16-bit grayscale as well as 24-bit and 48-bit color.

IPLab for Windows includes a Scripting mechanism much like that in the Macintosh version. This feature makes it easy for users to automate their own image acquisition and processing protocols.

IPLab for Windows Extensions
Several new Extensions are also available for use with IPLab for Windows. These Extensions address specific vertical market needs. The MultiProbe Extension is now also available for Windows. MultiProbe, an add-on module to IPLab, aids in the processing and visualization of Flourescence in situ Hybridization (FISH and M-FISH) and other multiple wavelength image data. Using this software, users can create a color image from as many as 7 different images, merge them interactively, and adjust the contrast and alignment of each image independently.

The new ZeissMover Extension module, now also available for Windows, controls the Z-axis motor and fluorescence filter turret on Zeiss Axiophot 2 electronic microscopes. Using this Extension with IPLab for Windows allows users to perform 3D optical sectioning and multi-wavelength image capture.

The new MicroMover Extension provides easy-to-use commands for complete control of X-, Y-, and Z-axis positioning equipment from Ludl Electronic Products (LEP). Users can select commands from the menus interactively, or create IPLab for Windows Scripts to automate their own special protocols for increased experimental consistency.

The new Shutters & Filters Extension is used to automate image capture for multispectral fluorescence microscopy applications. The Extension controls filter wheels from LEP and Sutter Instrument Company. Each of these filter wheels accepts standard optical filters which are designed specifically for use with today's fluorescent probes.

Other Extension modules currently available for Macintosh only will be available for Windows in the coming months.