Openlab is a software package for doing 2D Microscope image processing, and for integrating and controlling a diverse array of instrumentation in a laboratory environment. It consists of a core application which can manage large arrays of image data, and a series of separate plug-in modules which implement a variety of tasks according to the needs of the end user. The customer is able to tailor the system to exactly their own requirements, but use a coherent GUI to operate the entire system.
The software suite has four basic areas of operation - Acquisition, Image presentation and storage, analysis, and automation. Most types of microscope and camera are supported for acquiring images, which are then available to the rest of the system in a common format. A number of deconvolution algorithms are available to dramatically improve image quality. Analysis involves extracting data into the package's own spreadsheet-like interface, or exporting raw measurements to external software.
Openlab can control a large number of devices found in the typical laboratory, as well as the microscope itself - focus drives, XY Stages, optical filters, drug-delivery systems, etc. The package provides for manual control of all of these items through its GUI, or using its automator, a built in graphical programming language.
