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LN-Remote

License: MIT

LN-Remote is a Python-based remote control software for Luigs and Neumann's micromanipulators. It allows the user to interface with the manipulator from a computer to build upon the functionality of the L&N Remote control units.

Table of contents

Features

  • Read the current position of the manipulator
  • Gross movement of the manipulator
  • Fine, slow traversal to specified depths
  • Store pipette depths for each patched cell in a csv file
  • Quick action buttons for common tasks, like retracting to the surface, moving away from the sample, etc.

Requirements

It is written in Python and uses the PySide6 framework for the GUI. It has been tested on Windows 10 and 11, but should work on Linux and Mac as well.

  • Python 3.8 or higher
  • PySide6
  • PySerial
  • qdarkstyle

Installation

Installation is easy with conda:

  1. Clone the repository to your local machine, and navigate to the directory.
  2. Run conda env create -n lnremote -f environment.yml to create a new environment with all the required packages.
  3. Activate the environment with conda activate lnremote.
  4. Run LN-Remote with python run.py.

Usage

The software is designed to be used with a Luigs and Neumann manipulator, a L&N control box. The remote control unit (like the SM10Touch) is not required after configuration, but highly recommended.

LN-Remote can operate using two communication modes: serial and TCP/IP. Depending on your setup, you might want to adjust this in the config.ini file, along with the device's IP and PORT (for TCP/IP) and SERIAL number (for serial). Note that the serial mode has not yet been thoroughly tested, and might not work as expected.

To start the software, run the run.py script. The GUI should open up, and automatically connect to the manipulator.

  • The current positions of the manipulator axes are displayed in the top left corner, in the 'Position' panel.
  • To grossly move the axes, you must first check the 'Enable' button in the 'Navigation' panel. The dropdown menus to the right allow you to set the speed mode and velocity of the axes. Below, the arrow buttons allow you to move the axes in the positive and negative direction, corresponding to the directional buttons in the SM10Touch remote control unit.
  • To save the current position of the X axis as a patched cell, click the 'Add' button in the 'Cells' panel followed by the 'Store' button. If the 'Cell' checkbox is clicked, the program will automatically add the pipette/cell number to the 'Pipette' column, along with the current depth of the X axis. The 'Pipette' and 'Depth' columns can be edited manually by double-clicking on the fields. If a row was added by mistake, clicking the 'Del' button will remove the last row. Finally, the '+' button increases the pipette number by 1, and the text within the box is editable.
  • Some quick actions are laid out in the 'Controls' panel.
    • 'Approach' allows you to specify an absolute depth to move to pipette to, and the 'Retract' button will move the pipette to the surface.
    • 'Move Away' will move the pipette away from the sample. If the pipette is still in the sample, a dialog box will warn you. Clicking 'Proceed anyway', the pipette will first move to the surface, and then move away from the sample.
    • After exchanging the pipette, 'Return' moves it to Y = 0 and Z = 0, without changing the X axis position. This way, we prevent the pipette from crashing onto the sample if there is a misalignment between the sample and the manipulator.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details