NIMH Awards SVision LLC $750K Grant for Next Generation Microscopy Image Analysis Technology Development
Research grant will accelerate the application development and commercialization of teachable image recognition technologies for subcellular time-lapse assays
SVision LLC, an emerging leader in the application of learning technologies for practical image recognition applications, has received a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to enhance the time-lapse, subcellular analysis capabilities for the company’s SVCell™ product.
SVision scientists developed novel, robust and fully automated subcellular time-lapse analysis and modeling technologies under a previously NIH awarded Phase I SBIR. The software enhances subcellular signal detection even in challenging, low signal to noise conditions. It is validated and proven to significantly improve on synaptic vesicle recycling assay throughput, accuracy, efficiency, and reliability.
The new 2-year $750,000 Phase II grant will commence on August 1 2007. The award will be used to create an easy to use teaching module in SVCell specifically for time-lapse subcellular assays. SVCell teaching modules, enabled by SVision learning technologies, provide scientists with a simple “teach by example” interface through which they can create “recipes” for high performance image segmentation, optimized measurement and accurate pattern classification – guided by their biological knowledge rather than image processing expertise.
The new teaching module will enable SVCell users to perform quantitative microscopy image analyses of subcellular functions. The analyses can provide a more accurate definition of subcellular structures, and more accurate measurements of the gain or loss of fluorescence within them. The project will accelerate the application development and commercialization of SVCell for next generation assays that require accuracy and noise robustness not available in the current generation informatics tools.
About SVision LLC
SVision develops and markets the next generation microscopy image analysis software, SVCell. SVCell enables scientists to teach recipes for high performance image segmentation, optimized measurement and accurate pattern classification. The teaching is fast, easy and intuitive, and the taught recipe can be easily updated to match evolving experimental protocols. The validated recipe can then be executed in a high throughput imaging assay with fast, accurate and robust performance comparable to custom written algorithms or “turnkey” systems. Released in May 2007, SVCell 1.0 extended the software’s capabilities for time-lapse applications.
SVision is a technological innovator with 28 issued, 2 allowed and 16 pending US patents in high-speed image processing, pattern recognition, machine vision, automatic learning, spatial reasoning and data mining. Since 1999, SVision has been pioneering the use of learning technology in a broad range of practical image recognition applications. SVCell development is partially funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) under multiple Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs.
For more information, visit SVCell.com.