Imaging software ScanImage

image acquisitionfor microscopesfor microscopy

ScanImage is imaging software for scanning microscopes developed by Karel Svoboda and coworkers (Pologruto et al, 2003) and judiciously maintained by members of the Svoboda lab, first at CSHL and then at Janelia Farms, HHMI. It is hard to over-estimate the influence of this software in the field of two-photon scanning microscopy. ScanImage was designed to be a freely available open source program and its early maintenance was “easily” supported. However, as ScanImage became increasingly popular and as new versions were required to cover changes in operating systems and hardware drivers, it soon became obvious that a high level of maintenance could not be sustained based on the “freeware model”. Ultimately, ScanImage support and development has become a commercial enterprise and Vidrio is the new face of ScanImage.