infocus #4 December 2006 New Mechanical Manipulator

For studies of mounted insects using stereo microscopes

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.15

An improved design of stereo microscope manipulator for observation of small insects, mounted on card or card-point, is presented. The device allows movement of an object around three perpendicular axes in the field of vision. There is only one flexible joint between all the elements, and rotational movement is not realised by belt or gear drives. A standard pointer is used to mark the intersection point of all axes in 3D space for optimizing the mounting of the sample insects.An additional movable white screen can give a suitable backdrop for improved visualization of the insect samples.The main achievement of the device is reaching a precession (the slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis) deviation in the intersection point of axes of approximately 0.3-0.5 mm.

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Authors

Peter Boyadzhiev

Lecturer of Zoology, University of Plovdiv

Dr. Peter Boyadzhiev is a lecturer of Zoology and Ethology in the Department of Zoology, Plovdiv University. He has scientific interests in faunistic and taxonomic investigation of the Eulophidae family (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in Bulgaria. He has described a new species for science from the genus Puklina Graham (Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae), and he has announced over 120 species new to the fauna of Bulgaria.

Rozita N. Bozhinova

Chief Assistant Professor, University of Plovdiv

Rozita Bozhinova has been Chief Assistant Professor in the Department of Experimental Physics since 1988. She graduated in PhysicsLasers and Laser Technologies. Her scientific field is OpticsInterferometry and Fiber Optics. Her recent projects are in the area of Fiber Optics applications in Structure Health Monitoring and Laser Shearography.