Patent ID: 8885035

Claim:
A flow microscope for imaging objects in fluid flows, the flow microscope comprising: a fluid conduit comprising a port on each end of a thin flat transparent fluid transport region, the transparent fluid transport region comprising two parallel flat sides; a planar illumination surface in physical contact with one of the flat sides of the transparent fluid transport region; and a planar image sensing surface in physical contact with the other of the flat sides of the transparent fluid transport region, the planar image sensing surface receiving light fields from the planar illumination surface and responsively creating electrical image signals; wherein light from the planar illumination surface travels into the transparent fluid transport region, producing a resulting light field affected by fluid in the fluid conduit and any objects in the fluid, wherein the resulting light field is presented to the planar image sensing surface, and wherein the planar image sensing surface creates electrical image signals responsive to the resulting light field.