The Ultima Investigator Plus™ offers a base system tailored for in vivo, deep-tissue fluorescence imaging. With its expanded field of view, enhanced close-coupled detection path, and the option for field upgrade to the Ultima 2Pplus system, Investigator Plus is designed to adapt to evolving research needs.
Various add-ons seamlessly integrate for a comprehensive imaging experience. Moreover, new proprietary electronics and software enable multi-region scanning, facilitating quick imaging transitions between different targeted locations.
Investigator Plus provides exceptional value for individual lab studies and supplements imaging capabilities in research centers, empowering researchers to delve deeper into neural connectivity, collagen alignment, T-cell mechanisms, and other tissue structures and functions.
Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces
Investigator Plus Features:
- Wide-angle collection for higher signal-to-noise deep within scattering samples
- Real-time application interface for accessing data and configuring automated feedback experiments
- Modular options for optogenetics, high-speed scanning, and fluorescence lifetime upgrades
- Field-upgradability to Ultima 2Pplus imaging workstation
We have been pleased with the Investigator multiphoton platform, which has allowed for cellular resolution neural imaging of calcium transients at video rates to visualize the formation of a memory trace in specific structures of the Drosophila brain. We are excited about the new developments in the field of view, multi-region scanning, and upgradeability as they will undoubtedly aid our work in unraveling the brain-wide processes that underlie cognitive behaviors.
Dhruv Grover Ph.D., Assistant Researcher, Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California
A Modular System Optimized for In Vivo Tissue Imaging
The streamlined Investigator Plus microscope offers ample clearance for in vivo studies and off-axis imaging capabilities suited for tissue imaging applications. Modular add-ons, such as three-photon imaging, multi-region scanning, and a motorized nosepiece, enhance the capacity for live tissue interrogation across various fields, spanning from immuno-oncology to neuroscience.
Intravital Imaging for Immune Oncology Experiments
Multiphoton intravital imaging offers a high-resolution approach for imaging tumor implants. Through longitudinal imaging sessions, researchers can measure tumor progression, assess responses to pharmaceuticals, and observe immune cell responses with precision.
Superior Imaging Depth for Brain Tissue
Investigator Plus is well-suited for investigating neural connectivity in the brain. Its imaging speed, depth, and resolution enable in vivo imaging of neurons through thinned skulls and during behavioral experiments.
The Prairie View software facilitates seamless integration with external devices for electrical recording, sensory stimulation, and other experimental paradigms in neuroscience.
Multifield montage of neural network. Image Credit: Datta SR, Harvard University.
Intuitive Software for Improved Results
Bruker’s Prairie View software integrates over 20 years of life sciences application expertise into a comprehensive suite of tools, empowering researchers to design detailed and precise protocols for enhanced experimental outcomes. With full access controls, users can optimize speed, resolution, and signal intensity according to their needs.
An intuitive user interface facilitates streamlined definitions for experiments of varying complexity across multiple dimensions. PrairieLink enhances flexibility by enabling the export of data to and receiving script commands from external programs during data acquisition. This capability simplifies the execution of complex closed-loop experiments.
Maximum intensity projection with depth color coding of dendrites and spines in a brain slice. Image taken on the Ultima Investigator Plus. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces
Ultima Investigator Plus Specifications
Source: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology
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| Scanning Method |
Matched pair of 6 mm galvanometers |
| Galvo Field of View |
Nikon 16x obj: 1.4 mm x 1.4 mm; 40x obj: 495 μm x 495 μm;
60x obj: 160 μm x 160 μm |
| Resonant Field of View |
Nikon 16x obj: 982 μm x 982 μm; 40x obj: 353 μm x 353 μm |
| Scan Speeds (1x Zoom) |
Raster Scan 2048 x 2048, 0.334 fps; 1024 x 1024, 0.787 fps; 512 x 512, 1.572 fps; 64 x 64, 12.329 fps |
| Scan Customization |
User-definable pixel dwell time, minimum of 0.4 μs (maximum 100 μs) variable in 0.4 μs steps;
User-definable pixels per line and lines per scan from 1 to 2048;
Scan zoom up to 128; 360 degree scan rotation;
User-definable straight, freehand and circular line scans;
Point scans |
Resonant Scanner
(optional) |
8 kHz; 30 fps at 512 x 512; ROIs with pan and scroll |
| Detectors |
Two performance-selected, multi-alkali PMTs;
Optional upgrade to high-sensitivity Hamamatsu GaAsP detectors;
Optional upgrade to four upper non-descanned detectors |
| Z-Motor Control |
Standard focus motor assembly (minimum 0.025 μm step size, 25 mm travel range);
Z-Piezo with proprietary focus algorithms for high-speed Z-series (0.1 μm step size, 400 or 1000 μm range) |
Motorized Microscope
Base (optional) |
X-Y motion control of microscope position, 0.3 μm increments, 0.75 in. X and Y travel |
| Computer |
Customized PC workstation |
| Imaging Software |
Prairie View |
| I/O Hardware |
High-performance Analog Input and Output;
High-performance interface control box (GPIO) |
| I/O Software |
Prairie View control of analog outputs and inputs and digital synchronization |
| Optical Inputs |
Ultrafast pulse IR laser with low-dispersion optical path optimized for 2P or 3P laser input*;
Optional epifluorescence illuminator and dichroic |
* Not included.