Contact Details
Mr Michael Krochmal
Managing Director
4/293 Bay Street
Brighton VIC 3186
W www.autoscan.com...
E autoscan@autoscan.co...
Autoscan Systems
Special purpose motorised robotic microscope platform
2-axis and 3-axis motorised platforms, controllable with joystick or through computer interface. Our stages attach to most popular laboratory optical microscopes and allow systematised search for specific entities. These searches are carried out using a custom software package and high-resolution digital cameras.
Electro-mechanics:
Our stages are based on both dc servo motor and stepper motor technology.
Mechanics:
Our stages incorporate a very high degree of positioning accuracy. We command advanced engineering know-how for the design and manufacture of new mechanisms.
Our designs are continually under review to maintain the technology at the cutting edge and to maintain relevance for clients.
Our products address two main disciplines :
1. Fission Track Dating (FTD)
This is a technique used in geology to determine the age and thermal history of rocks. FTD is one of a number of such techniques, known collectively as Thermochronology techniques. FTD is useful in fundamental research, but also in the process of exploring for oil, diamonds and certain minerals.
2. Radiation Protection
Our systems are able to automatically scan and characterise personal dosimeters used in radiation protection. Such dosimeters sense the presence of alpha particles created by radon gas and/or uranium. They are used in uranium mines, limestone caves and in certain areas of the world which naturally generate substantial quantities of radon gas.
Our systems consist of :
- 2-axis or 3-axis stage
- Autoscan application software running on a suitable computer
- motorised research-quality microscope
-
associated hardware and electronics.
The benefits of our technology are:
1. Fission Track Dating
- This is a tedious technique in which our systems save the operators a very large percentage of their time.
- This frees them up to concentrate on the more important decision-making process.
- The technique involves the counting and length measurement of certain tracks created by the breakdown of naturally-occurring radiation.
- We are now able to offer a fully automated system which counts the tracks automatically, and further features are being added all the time.
- This has been the result of a 3-year collaboration with the University of Melbourne under an ARC (Australian Research Council) grant, which resulted in a patented detection process.
- The new product is being enthusiastically received by our clients in (currently) 28 countries around the world.
2. Radiation Protection
- Our system automatically recognises, locates, and re-positions etched damage tracks created in polycarbonate (CR39 [TM]) or fused quartz detector material.
- This allows automated counting and measurement of tracks, and assessment of the level of radiation to which the detector (and thus the wearer of the badge) has been exposed.
- In addition, for research purposes, our equipment generates a large volume of geometric and statistical data, which it is not possible to generate by manual counting.
- This data allows the calculation of radiation source strength and location.
- The system is also useful in relation to radon studies.
Radon is a radioactive gas which is generated in old rock, especially granite. - It poses a human health hazard, and is usually detected with CR39 or similar dosimeter detectors.