Microinjection System to Enable Real-Time 3D Image Presentation Through Focal Position Adjustment

The microinjection technique, in which DNA is injected into cells, is widely applied in fields such as biology, medicine, and pharmacy. However, the implementation of the microinjection process requires skill and, thus, it is necessary to improve the operability. To this end, this study proposes a microinjection system that improves depth visibility through real-time 3D image presentation. An algorithm to estimate 3D position and size of micro-targets using a focal position adjustment mechanism is implemented to the system. In addition, a calibration method to adjust relative position and orientation between a target object and micromanipulators is developed. Then, the system presents reconstructed 3D images of a target and micromanipulators. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed system is verified through manipulation experiments involving porcine embryos.