Zeiss’s ZEN LSM software promises intuitive, customizable microscope control


The ZEN user interface can be individually tailored to each experiment and user. (Image: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging)

January 1, 2008 — Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH says its ZEN 2007 is setting new standards in application-friendly software for laser scanning microscopy. The package combines “leading edge software programming and design tools with traditional Zeiss optical and mechanical precision,” the company says. All laser scanning microscopes in the LSM 5 Family from release 2.8 onwards can be upgraded with ZEN 2007.

The ZEN user interface is clearly structured and flexible, and can be individually tailored to each experiment and user. At the same time, the Professional-Basic concept of ZEN reduces the complexity of the interface — without decreasing the range of functions. Users themselves decide at what point they require full functionality. This allows you to focus your full attention on your research work. Settings made can be saved and re-accessed at any time or sent to other users.

The color and brightness of ZEN’s input fields and buttons were designed to take into account the typical lighting conditions encountered in a laboratory environment. The resulting improvement in contrast, says Zeiss, makes it possible to recognize details in fluorescence images that were not visible before. The optimization of the screen display for the 30-inch wide screen format creates additional space for complex experiments in which a large number of tool palettes and view windows are simultaneously open. The company says that extensive studies confirm ZEN’s intuitive user guidance and short learning curve.

The user interface of ZEN is organized into three zones, following the typical workflow of the experiments performed: the tools for image acquisition and microscope control on the left, the worktable for image viewing in the center and file management on the right.

The layout of the left toolbar can be adapted to the personal requirements of the user. It is structured to enable reliable, easy operation of the microscope; all tools can be decoupled and freely positioned on the screen.

The central area of ZEN is optimized for the display and interaction with the acquired image data. The tools required for this purpose are arranged under the image and can also be activated and deactivated as required. Navigation through the captured images and data is considerably easier with ZEN, says Zeiss, and in “Exposé” mode, multiple images can be seen and compared simultaneously. The right column of ZEN shows all opened images with brief information on size, image type, etc. and therefore provides a fast overview of experiments.

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