What's new

New features and improvements in Microlucida version 2023

New imaging and data handling engines

MBF Bioscience software includes new image acquisition and image/data display technologies that maximize efficiency and speed throughout Microlucida. Compile, save, load, display, and process your files much faster than before. These new imaging and data-handling engines employ intelligent image loading, concurrent usage of CPU cores, and multiple levels of data caching for efficient use of RAM and GPU resources. The speed and capabilities of Microlucida software are now limited only by the resources of the computer on which it’s installed.

You will see major improvements in overall function and performance; highlights include:

  • Acquire much larger images than was previously possible—in the multiple terabyte range

  • Load very large image and data files noticeably faster than before—no lagging, no crashing

  • Handle millions of data points simultaneously—faster software response than ever before

  • Combine multiple data files, each containing massive numbers of markers and/or traced structures

Improved slide scanning workflow

The new imaging engine dramatically increases the size of images that can be acquired. The peed of image acquisition and assembly in the slide scanning workflow has also been improved. Benefits include:

  • Create larger slide-scans—at higher magnification and/or from larger specimens than possible in previous releases

  • Preview image-compilation before finalizing your large-image acquisition settings

  • Include optional XY stitching for better image-tile alignment and cleaner compiled images

  • View the amount of disk space needed for the slide scan before starting the image acquisition

  • Compile large images faster

  • Compile partial scans in the event an acquisition fails partway through

Software authorization and options

  • Easier software authorization—Microlucida has a new, easier to use, licensing mechanism. License can be updated for renewal or trial without having to connect to MBF Bioscience staff.

  • Floating licenses are now available—share one Microlucida license on more than one computer.

More options for opening images

  • Indicate how you want Microlucida software to handle and display your images

  • Open all images in container files such as Leica .lif and Zeiss .czi formats.

  • Choose to display images in a grid, stack images, or display on top of each other without stacking.

  • Drag and drop to open files—the new Image Opener window makes it easier and more powerful

Other improvements

  • New hardware support for the Zeiss Apotome 3, Luminera CMOS camera, and Basler cameras

  • Added support for Leica K5 and K3C cameras

  • New support for Big tiff and Hdf5 image formats

  • Custom Z offset is now available for use in Device command sequences

  • New Freehand Selection tools provide more options for selecting markers or contours

  • The default image-save format is now .xml.

  • Research Resource Identifier (RRID) is now recorded in every xml data file.

  • Simpler automatic exposure (in the camera settings) to achieve the target luminance for each image acquisition

  • Updated the Illumination Correction tool.

  • Updated tool tips that display when hovering on buttons and tools throughout Microlucida.

  • Numerous bug fixes

See the current Release Notes or all Release Notes for Microlucida.

Previous releases