Smart microscopy: current implementations and a roadmap for interoperability
Abstract Smart microscopy is transforming life sciences by automating experimental imaging workflows and enabling real-time adaptation based on feedback from images and other data streams. This shift increases throughput, improves reproducibility, and expands the functional capabilities of microscopes. However, the current landscape is highly fragmented. Academic researchers often develop custom solutions for specific scientific needs, while industry offerings are typically proprietary and tied to specific hardware. This diversity, while fostering innovation, also creates major challenges in interoperability, reproducibility, and standardization, which slows progress and adaption. This article presents a collaborative effort between academic and industry leaders to survey the current state of smart microscopy, highlight representative implementations, and identify common technical and organizational barriers. We propose a framework for greater interoperability based on shared standards, modular software design, and community-driven development. Our goal is to support collaboration across the field and lay the groundwork for a more connected, reusable, and accessible smart microscopy ecosystem. We conclude with a call to action for researchers, hardware developers, and institutions to join in building an open, interoperable foundation that will unlock the full potential of smart microscopy in life science research.
Authors
- Claudia Pfander (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9574-9553)
- Andrii Rogov
- Talley J. Lambert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2409-0181)
- Pontus Nordenfelt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9481-9951)
- Harrison R. Oatman
- Olof Johansson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3068-0660)
- Hannah S. Heil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4279-7022)
- Scott Brooks
- Claire Déméautis
- Benedict Diederich (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0453-6286)
- Thomas G. P. Guilbert
- Evangelos Sisamakis
- Rémy Torro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4903-8304)
- Nelda Antonovaité (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9080-0324)
- Jared E. Toettcher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1546-4030)
- Philipp Seidel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0097-9768)
- Lucien Hinderling (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3956-9363)
- Manuel Gunkel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5363-8943)
- Otmane Bouchareb
- Célia Martin
- Rafael Camacho
- Nils Norlin
- Philip Nordenfelt
- Olivier Pertz
- P. S. Kesavan
- Alfredo Rates
- Rainer Pepperkok
- Erwan Grandgirard
- Jan O. Korbel
- Aliaksandr Halavatyi
- Oscar André
- Lukas C. Kapitein
- Jerome Mutterer
- Jürgen Reymann
- Marco R. Cosenza
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- Nikon (United States) (US)
- CEA CESTA (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (GB)
- Carl Zeiss (Germany) (DE)
- Harvard University (US)
- Lund University (SE)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Princeton University (US)
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (DE)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Institut de génétique et de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire (FR)
- Medicon Village (SE)
- PicoQuant (Germany) (DE)
- Vistec Electron Beam (Germany) (DE)
- Skåne University Hospital (SE)
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (DE)
- Center for Systems Biology (US)
- Tech4Imaging (United States) (US)
- Université de Strasbourg (FR)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Methods in microscopy
- Published
- 2026-02-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1515/mim-2025-0029
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 73.59