Analytica visitors focus on Leica offerings

The German-based company are riding high at the moment as it emerges fresh from its recent acquisition by Danaher. The deal was completed in July 2005 for the sum of €450 million.

On a strategic level, the transaction made sense for both companies. Leica Microsystems' technology in high precision optical instrumentation and its well-known brand has extend Danaher's Professional Instrumentation segment into life sciences while complementing its existing critical care diagnostics and dental businesses.

The Analytica show gives Leica an opportunity to introduce its TCS SP5 Broadband Confocal System that has been designed for high-end applications.

The system is equipped with a resonance scanner for fast images and an additional conventional scanner. Additionally, the new dynamic AOBS beam splitter provides very bright images with any multiple stain combination.

As a result, the Leica TCS SP5 features the broadest band of imaging speeds and resolutions ever available in one confocal microscope (from 1.0 to 16,000 lines/second and up to 64 Megapixels per image).

As a true single point confocal, it is the only system to combine fast frame rates, best resolution and depth imaging with full multi-channel capabilities.

Leica will display its latest spectral confocal system. The TCS SPE is tailored to a wide range of applications from the life sciences to pharmaceutical and biotech applications, and also features an impressive cost-to-performance ratio.

The Leica TCS SPE is the first confocal system equipped with Leica ACS (Advanced Correction System). This brand-new technology allows perfect colocalization at maximum transmission.

It is particularly designed for laboratories shared by multiple research groups, especially for target applications in research laboratories and pharma-biotechnology.

The newest technology is implemented in the Leica TCS SPE and this system is the only confocal in its class providing true spectral detection.Its robust, durable hardware with long-life components and the new Leica software platform LAS AF ensure smooth and fast operation.

At its trade show booth, Leica also show off its automated piece of equipment, the DMI6000 B and the Leica AF6000 fluorescence system software. Together, they form a solution that meets all of the system requirements of biomedical research.

The DMI 6000B allows intelligent imaging at the touch of a button. For example, when changing objectives or contrast techniques, the Illumination Manager starts by automatically setting the brightness, aperture, and field diaphragms.

Each time you tweak and optimise their settings, the microscope will adopt them immediately, which allows you to work quickly without constant readjustment.

Leica's integrated CCIC (Constant Colour Intensity Control) maintains a constant colour temperature of 3200K, which compensates for changes in colour temperature with lamp voltage that would normally require insertion of daylight filters or white balancing.

The DMI 6000B's graphical display has been structured so that the user can see an overview with a quick glance. It cannot be obscured, even when using large climate chambers. The current status of the Leica DMI 6000 B is visibly displayed at all times.

The Leica AF6000 aims to breathe new dynamics in live cell imaging. It is a fully integrated system for advanced fluorescence imaging providing solutions that evolve with changing research requirements.

From overlaying multi-channel images to acquiring three dimensional and time lapse data, a wealth of solutions are included as standard for image documentation, quantification, enhancement and analysis.

Designed to harmonise microscope, camera and application, the modular AF6000 system is available for both upright and inverted microscopes.

Additional application modules can be added to extend the functionality for deconvolution and 3D visualisation.

Further details of >Leica Microsystems​ range of microscopy and imaging system solutions are available at the company's website.