Systems and methods for distributed video microscopy

Abstract

System and methods are provided for distributed microscopy. A plurality of microscopes may capture images and send them to a media server. The microscopes and the media server may be part of a local area network. The microscopes may each have a distinct network address. The media server may communicate with an operations console, which may be used to view images captured by the microscopes. The operations console may also accept user input which may be used to selectively control the microscopes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for distributed microscopy comprising:
 a plurality of microscopes, each microscope capable of capturing an image and having a network address;   a media server in communication with the microscopes over a network, wherein the microscopes are capable of simultaneously providing image data to the media server; and   an operations console in communication with the media server, capable of displaying at least one image based on the image data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the network is a cloud-based network. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the operations console communicates with the media server through a local area network. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the operations console communicates with the media server over a wide area network. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the operations console is capable of accepting an input that affects the operation of at least one microscope of said plurality. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the input specifies a corresponding network address of the at least one microscope. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the microscopes are mounted on a live being, or on several live beings, while capturing the image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the live beings are capable of moving freely while the microscopes are mounted. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the microscopes weigh less than 3 grams. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the microscopes have a volume of 5 cubic centimeters or less. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the operations console is at a different facility than at least one of the plurality of microscopes. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the network address is an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the network address of each microscope of said plurality is unique to that plurality of microscopes. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the IP address is a static IP address. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the IP address is assignable or alterable on the fly. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more drug delivery device capable of delivering a drug to a target site. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the target site is a region imaged by at least one microscope of said plurality. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein at least one microscope of said plurality is mounted on a live being, and the target site is part of the live being. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the drug delivery device operates in response to an input received at the operations console. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the operations console displays images captured by the plurality of microscopes simultaneously based on the image data. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of microscopes are located within the same facility. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of microscopes are located within different facilities. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the image is a static image. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the image is a video image. 
     
     
         26 . A method for collecting a plurality of images comprising:
 capturing a plurality of images, using a plurality of microscopes, each microscope having a network address;   providing data representative of the images simultaneously from the microscopes to a media server over a network; and   displaying at least one image at an operations console in communication with the media network based on the data representative of the images.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the network is a cloud-based network. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the operations console communicates with the media server through a local area network. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the operations console communicates with the media server over a wide area network. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising receiving, at the operations console, an instruction for controlling one or more selected microscopes. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the instruction specifies a corresponding network address of the at least one microscope. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising mounting the microscopes on a live being, or on several live beings, while capturing the image. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising permitting the live beings to move freely while the microscopes are mounted. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the microscopes weigh less than 3 grams. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the microscopes have a volume of 5 cubic centimeters or less. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising providing the operations console at a different facility than at least one of the plurality of microscopes. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the network address is an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the network address of each microscope of said plurality is unique to that plurality of microscopes. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the IP address is a static IP address. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the IP address is assignable or alterable on the fly. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising providing one or more drug delivery device capable of delivering a drug to a target site. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the target site is a region imaged by at least one microscope of said plurality. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising mounting at least one microscope of said plurality on a live being, wherein the target site is part of the live being. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising operating the drug delivery device in response to an input received at the operations console. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising displaying, on the operations console images captured by the plurality of microscopes simultaneously based on the data representative of the images. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of microscopes are located within the same facility. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of microscopes are located within different facilities. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the images are static images. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the images are video images. 
     
     
         51 . A media server for distributed microscopy, said media server comprising:
 a communication interface capable of simultaneously receiving data from a plurality of microscopes over a network, each microscope of said plurality having a network address and being capable of capturing an image; and   a processor configured to process the data received from the plurality of microscopes to permit at least one image to be displayed on an operations console in communication with the media server.   
     
     
         52 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
         53 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the network is a cloud-based network. 
     
     
         54 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the media server to communicate with the operations console through a local area network. 
     
     
         55 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the media server to communicate with the operations console over a wide area network. 
     
     
         56 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the data to be received while the microscopes are mounted on a live being, or on several live beings. 
     
     
         57 . The media of  claim 56  wherein the live beings are capable of moving freely while the microscopes are mounted. 
     
     
         58 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the data to be received from microscopes weighing 3 grams or less. 
     
     
         59 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the data to be received from microscopes having a volume of 5 cubic centimeters or less. 
     
     
         60 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface permits the media server to communicate with the plurality of microscopes at a first location and with the operations console at a second location that is within a different facility from the first location. 
     
     
         61 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface is configured to communicate with the plurality of microscopes having network addresses that are Internet protocol (IP) addresses. 
     
     
         62 . The media server of  claim 61  wherein the communication interface is capable of communicating with a network address of each microscope of said plurality that is unique to that plurality of microscopes. 
     
     
         63 . The media server of  claim 61  wherein the IP address is a static IP address. 
     
     
         64 . The media server of  claim 61  wherein the IP address is assignable or alterable on the fly. 
     
     
         65 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein the communication interface is configured to communicate with one or more drug delivery device capable of delivering a drug to a target site. 
     
     
         66 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein said processing includes encrypting and/or decrypting the data. 
     
     
         67 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein said processing includes compressing and/or decompressing the data. 
     
     
         68 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein said processing includes performing analytics of the data. 
     
     
         69 . The media server of  claim 51  wherein said processing includes generating an instruction for the operation of one or more microscope of said plurality, that is delivered via said communication interface. 
     
     
         70 . The media server of  claim 65  wherein said processing includes generating an instruction for the operation of one or more drug delivery device, that is delivered via said communication interface.