Advancing Scientific Innovation
Client:
Oxford Instruments
Project:
Apollo X-Ray Detection System
Goal:
Create a next-generation electronics platform to control advanced electron detectors and X-ray analysis systems while significantly improving data processing capabilities.
Results
95% reduction in experiment duration
More efficient use of researcher time and laboratory resources
Supports real-time data visualisation and interpretation
Enables seamless integration with existing laboratory systems
A step change in processing power
Challenge
Oxford Instruments needed to modernise their electron microscopy and X-ray analysis systems, moving from 16-bit microcontrollers and FireWire to a more powerful and flexible architecture. The solution needed to handle dramatically increased data rates while maintaining precision and reliability.
Our Solution
We co-developed an electronics control platform with Oxford Instruments that:
Manages multiple X-ray detectors simultaneously
Processes over 1 million X-rays per second per channel
Controls four detectors from a single unit
Reduces scanning time from 11 hours to 30 minutes
Enables high-speed data acquisition
Features modular system architecture
Provides seamless integration with existing systems
Supports future expandability and updates
User Benefits
Experiment times cut from 11 hours to 30 minutes
Higher-resolution X-ray mapping
More detailed sample analysis
Improved research productivity
Real-time data visualisation
Enhanced experimental accuracy
Multiple detector support
Streamlined workflow
Technical Solution
The technical work included:
Custom Linux platform implementation
Advanced driver development for detector control
High-speed data acquisition system
Multi-channel processing architecture
Custom board support package
Real-time data analysis capabilities
Sophisticated signal processing
Integrated testing framework
Automated calibration systems
Scalable system architecture
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