Software / Custom Design
Custom Imaging Software Development
Indigo Scientific develops custom scientific imaging software for research, industry and academia. Instrument control, automated acquisition, image stitching, 3D reconstruction and hardware integration built by the engineers who use it.
Instrument control software
Direct hardware interface applications for cameras, stages, light sources, spectrometers and custom instruments.
Automated acquisition
Time-lapse, tile scanning, multi-position and multi-channel automated acquisition workflows.
Image stitching & montaging
Automatic tile stitching, Z-axis alignment and stack combination for large-area microscopy datasets.
3D reconstruction workflows
3D visualisation and data handling such as block face imaging or alternative datasets.
Spectrometer & analysis software
Spectral data acquisition, fibre optic data collection and custom analysis tools. Including 2D graphing and reports.
Hardware synchronisation
Software-triggered hardware synchronisation between cameras, light sources, stages and custom electronics.
WHAT WE DO
Scientific imaging software,
built for specific problems
Indigo Scientific develops custom scientific imaging software for microscopy, imaging instrumentation and scientific data acquisition. While manufacturer software and scripts often cover standard requirements, many research and industrial imaging workflows need software that has been designed for a specific instrument, dataset or acquisition requirement.
Our software is developed by the same engineers who design and build imaging hardware. This means we understand the full imaging chain, from hardware interface through to image output.
We take projects from initial specification through to delivered, tested software, with a period of bug fixes and changes included. Ongoing maintenance and feature additions are available after delivery.
HOW WE WORK
Software design process
Our engineers are involved from the initial conversation through to delivered, tested software. We do not hand off to a generic development team, the same people who understand your imaging problem write the software that solves it.
1
Specification & design
We start by understanding your imaging problem, hardware, data format and workflow requirements, not just the software features. Lead times, specifications and basic design are agreed with you before development begins. No surprises.
2
Development & first delivery
We develop the software and deliver an initial release with a defined period for bug fixes and changes. You test it against your real workflow, not a simulated environment. Changes are addressed as part of the project scope.
3
Optional maintenance & updates
After delivery, we can optionally maintain the software and add features as your requirements develop. Many of our tools continue to receive updates based on user feedback, including suggestions from the researchers who use them daily.
SOFTWARE WE DEVELOP
Custom scientific imaging software
across the full workflow
The categories below reflect real types of software we develop, for imaging instruments we have built ourselves and for external hardware and workflows.
ACQUISITION
Microscope camera control software
Advanced software suites for scientific camera control exposure, gain, binning, triggering, live preview and image capture. Compatible with a range of models including USB and GigE scientific cameras. OHREM Acquire developed entirely in-house.
RECONSTRUCTION
3D reconstruction & volumetric viewing
3D Viewer for immediate volumetric visualisation of image stacks or volumes Slice view, window/level control, opacity and colour settings, measure, combine and export.
REPORTING
Data visualisation & reporting
Software suites with integrated data visualisation with bar charts, 3D charts, line charts and interactive plots. Export as Word, Excel, PDF or CSV reports. QC prompts, live feed displays and automated report generation for defined data collection workflows.
AUTOMATION
Automated image acquisition software
Time-lapse, z-stack and tile scanning acquisition, automated to run unattended. Configurable acquisition sequences with hardware triggering, channel switching and data export integrated. Supports extended acquisition runs without operator intervention.
PROCESSING
Image processing & stack editing
Process 2D images with custom pipelines, histograms, LUTs, calibration, editing in the Fourier space and more. With easy adaption to youre setup.
CONTROL
Motion & hardware control software
Software control for filter wheels, sliders, XY and Z stages, motorised focus systems, heating/cooling controllers and any device with a serial interface. Custom hardware control interfaces for components that require integration.
STITCHING & PANORAMA
Image stitching & large-area montaging
Automatic tile acquisition and stitching for large-area and high resolution microscopy datasets. Montage multiple image stacks, align on the Z axis, interpolate and output as registered, combined datasets.
SPECTROSCOPY
Spectrometer control & spectral analysis
Custom spectral acquisition software for spectrometer hardware. Spectral Viewer for 2D data interactive spectral plots, zoom, pan and data extraction. Custom fibre analysis and spectral analysis tools.
INTEGRATION
Multi-hardware workflow integration
Unified software that integrates multiple hardware systems including cameras, stages, light sources, spectrometers, temperature controllers, into a single application with synchronised acquisition, data logging and export. No separate applications, no manual coordination between instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What operating systems do you develop for?
Our software is developed primarily for Windows, native Windows applications with direct hardware interface capability. This covers the vast majority of laboratory and industrial microscopy environments. Contact us if you have specific OS requirements; some applications may be addressable on other platforms.
Can you develop software for hardware we already have?
Yes, we develop control and acquisition software for hardware we did not supply or build. This includes cameras from Jenoptik, Zeiss, Basler and others, stages from various suppliers, and any device with a serial, USB or network interface. Contact us with your hardware details and we will advise on integration feasibility.
What is the typical timeline for a custom software prject?
Timeline depends on scope and current workload. Simple instrument control applications can be developed in weeks; complex multi-hardware integrated systems take longer. We discuss timelines at the specification stage and are happy to provide lead time estimates for grant application or procurement planning purposes.
Do you provide ongoing maintainence after delivery?
Yes, ongoing maintenance, bug fixes and feature additions are available after the initial delivery period. Many of our free tools continue to receive updates based on user feedback. We can agree a maintenance arrangement as part of the project or as a separate ongoing engagement.
Can you integrate my imaging software with data analysis tools?
Yes, we can develop software that exports data in formats suitable for downstream analysis in Fiji/ImageJ, Imaris, Python, R or Excel. We can also integrate basic analysis directly into the acquisition software — for example, automated measurements, threshold-based counts or calibration-corrected outputs at the point of capture.
WHO WE DEVELOP FOR
Software for research, industry and academia
We can develop custom imaging software for a wide range of users and applications. The common factor is that standard commercial software does not solve the problem.
University research labs
Custom acquisition workflows for non-standard imaging setups. Software for novel instruments built in-house by research engineers. Control applications for equipment without commercial software support.
Pharmaceutical & biotech labs
Automated imaging workflows for drug discovery and QC. Software with integrated data logging, reporting and export for regulatory environments. Image analysis and quantification tools for specific assay types.
Imaging core facilities
Multi-user facility management software, automated acquisition tools for high-throughput runs, and unified control applications for multi-instrument setups. Software that reduces operator time per sample.
Industrial & inspection systems
Custom inspection software with live imaging, automated measurement and pass/fail logic. Control software for industrial imaging instruments where no commercial software matches the process requirement.
Indigo Scientific - Software & engineering team
Based in Hertfordshire, UK. Systems shipped and supported worldwide.