Project Summary
This project aims to develop a low-cost Spatial Light Modulator universal driver board. An SLM modulates the amplitude or phase of light; this innocuous active optical element is extremely important in the study of Biological Systems, enabling beam shaping techniques to be applied in super-resolution microscopy imaging for biological structures. Additionally, an SLM can be used in an inverse configuration and combined with Holographic techniques to produce a 3D Holographic Display to faithfully reproduce the 3D structure of complex biological systems. Currently, the electronics to drive an SLM is prohibitively expensive (order of 10 to 100 Thousand USD per unit), restricting their use to niche industrial and scientific applications. This project sees to develop a low-cost (under 200 USD) SLM driver board. This would be transformative in making high-end microscopes and the research they enable more accessible to industry and academia.