To download demo of Inquiry for Windows™

Calibrate to autoradiographic standards, calculate plasma curves and measure image data sets easily and accurately with Inquiry's user-friendly, intuitive interface. Quickly access all functions to speed your work and shorten learning curves. Sample tables, calibration tables, sampling tools and image mapping controls are accessed with a click of the mouse.

Special Applications Support

Inquiry offers a complement of features useful in a variety of research applications. Image registration and fusion tools, color bars, image filters and image arithmetic expand your lab capabilities (for example: specific binding and dual label studies). Modules also available for 3D Visualization and Volume measurement, Stage Control, Whole Body Autoradiography and much more.

In addition to the basic tools, Inquiry provides advanced sampling techniques, such as thresholded and redirected sampling for sophisticated analysis of your images. The 10 expert region-of-interest tools and over 30 radiometric and morphometric measures combine for use in a wide spectrum of applications. Plus, links are maintained between images, tables and sampled regions to facilitate reviews of past work and to speed up training of new technicians.

Metabolic Plasma Integrals

Calibration to Standards

Points are plotted as regions are sampled. Select one of five curve fits (Linear, Quadratic, Cubic, Power, Interpolated) and truncated or extended fit. Tag images with multiple curve fits.

Sophisticated Sampling

Advanced sampling techniques include thresholded, redirected and atlas sampling for a variety of applications.

Over 30 measures available (density, shape, etc.) and a range of expert region-of-interest tools (freehand, line, grid, edge, auto-object, etc.).

Links are maintained between sample tables, image, and calibration curves to facilitate reviews and audits of past work.

Background

The application of image analysis to biologic or biomedical investigations is rapidly increasing in both scope and complexity. This is due to the emergence of modern quantitative biological techniques and by rapidly decreasing costs of both computer and image acquisition hardware.

Many of the important laboratory techniques in quantitative biology are dependent upon visual inspection of an image by a trained observer. Quantitative image analysis techniques provide objective, repeatable results with increased accuracy due to the greater resolution provided by current image acquisition methods (cameras and scanners).

Compatibility:

Export Tables and Images to external applications like Microsoft™ Excel, Word and PowerPoint, to create professional looking presentations, reports and articles. Make slides, overheads, and paper printouts using one of many available output devices (Slide Makers, Color Printers, etc.)

Export Table Formats:

• Windows Clipboard
• Ascii Text

Export Image Formats

• Windows™ Bitmap (.bmp)
• Tagged Image File Format (.tif)

Import images from a variety of sources: Scanners, Molecular Dynamics™ PhosphorImager and Personal Densitometer, and Video Cameras. Import 8 and 16 bit greyscale images, 24 and 32 bit color images.

Import Image Formats:

• Tagged Image File Format (.tif)
• Molecular Dynamics™ ImageQuant (.gel)
• Raw Data (.frm)

Inquiry can be applied to:

• Receptor binding studies
• Glucose utilization and cerebral blood flow analysis
• Whole body autoradiography
• Dual label studies
• Immunocytochemistry and insitu hybridization
• Molecular biology: analysis of gels
• 3D visualization and volume measurement

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Hardware Requirements

• 386 Computer (faster processors result in faster program use)
• 4 MB memory
• Display Resolution of 1024x978 with 256 colors

Recommended Hardware

• Pentium Computer with local bus display card
• 16 MB or more of memory depending on image size, number of images, and number of other applications concurrently running
• 17" or 21" monitor
• Display resolution of 1024x978 or 1280x1024 with 256 colors (65535 colors required for use of Comet digitizer boards)

Software

Inquiry Software

Includes: Software License, Documentation, Security Block and Telephone Support

Computers

Complete Digitizing Subsystems Available

Hardware includes: camera, frame grabber, lightbox, camera stand, lens, and focus monitor if applicable

Hardware Purchased Separately

Digitizer Boards

Cameras

Other Hardware

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