Introducing the STIMscope: an open-source platform for large field-of-view spatiotemporal imaging and patterned illumination

We introduce the Spatiotemporal Illumination Microscope (STIMscope) designed for cellular-resolution, large field-of-view imaging and patterned illumination for neuroscience applications. Integrated with a centralized control and processing unit, the STIMscope features a closed-loop real-time analysis pipeline tailored for neural dynamic imaging and manipulation. We demonstrate its versatility by creating application-dependent versions of the platform and evaluating their performance. Additionally, we highlight its efficacy in large field-of-view neural imaging and targeted optogenetics of cortical organotypic cultures.