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How Do Tablet Pens Work Without Batteries?

Written by Doc J in 3D Hardware

Have you ever wondered how tablet pens work without batteries?  This article will explore the mechanics behind tablet pens and explain how they function without power.

pen and tablet

We’ll also look at different types of tablet pens, and some of the benefits of using a tablet pen with your tablet, and tell you what things to consider when selecting the right one for your needs. So if you’re curious about what makes these pens tick, read on!

In general, pens or styluses can work without a battery using various technologies, including a digitizer built into the tablet surface that can detect many levels of pressure, electromagnetic resonance, a small amount of power wirelessly transmitted to the pen from a tablet, or in the case of a  capacitative pen distortion of the tablets electrostatic field. Lets explain.

Types Of Tablet Pens

There are three main types of tablet pens: electromagnetic resonance pens, capacitive pens, and Bluetooth pens.

Electromagnetic Resonance Pens

Electromagnetic resonance tablet pens work by using the electromagnetic fields already present in the air. By using a coil inside the pen, it creates a small current.

This current is then used to create a signal that the tablet can read and interpret. Since there is no need for batteries, this also eliminates the possibility of running out of power while you are in the middle of writing.

Additionally, electromagnetic resonance tablet pens tend to be more accurate than their battery-powered counterparts since they are not susceptible to interference from other electronic devices.

Capacitive Pen

Capacitive tablet pens work in a similar way to electromagnetic resonance pens, but instead of using a coil to create a current, they use an electrode.

This electrode creates a change in the capacitance of the air around it, which the tablet can then detect. Capacitive tablet pens are not as common as electromagnetic resonance pens, but they are becoming more popular due to their lower price.

Capacitive tablet pens are also more precise than their electromagnetic resonance counterparts since other electronic gadgets don’t affect them.

Bluetooth Pen

Bluetooth tablet pens work by using Bluetooth signals to communicate with the tablet. This allows the pen to store a small amount of data that can be used to track the user’s writing strokes.

This data can then be used to improve the accuracy of the handwriting recognition software in the tablet.

Bluetooth tablet pens can also provide additional features, such as controlling music playback or launching applications. Bluetooth tablet pens are generally more expensive than other types of tablet pens, but they offer the most functionality and writing enjoyment.

Active Pen

Active pens get recognized by a sensor built into the touchscreen.  They have additional features such as hover and click because they are recognized from a distance.  The sensor, or digitizer, can also sense the orientation of the pen, such as which end is near the screen.

Pens for a Drawing Tablet

A drawing tablet is a type of tablet that is designed specifically for use with a tablet pen. They come in different sizes, but the most common ones are around 8 inches by 5 inches.

A capacitive stylus pen can work on a drawing tablet and it does not require any battery, this type of pen has a metal point that senses the location of the pen on the screen to work.

Moreover, drawing tablets have a grid of squares that the pen can track. This grid helps the tablet to accurately interpret the location and movements of the pen on the screen.

Since drawing tablets are specifically designed for artists and illustrators, they often include features that aren’t found on other types of tablets, such as customizable pressure sensitivity and palm rejection.

Pens for a Drawing Tablet With A Screen

A drawing tablet with a screen is a device that connects to a computer which allows you to draw on the screen directly. This is in contrast to traditional drawing tablets, which require you to draw on a screenless pad attached to a computer.

An Electromagnetic resonance tablet pen can work on a drawing tablet with a screen.

The Electromagnetic resonance tablet will be able to pick up the electromagnetic signals from the pen, and this will help to create a more accurate image on the drawing tablet. This is an amazing technological advance that will allow people to work on their drawings and projects with more accuracy and ease.

This means that you can see what you’re drawing as you’re drawing it, which can be helpful for ensuring accuracy. Additionally, many drawing tablets with screens include pressure-sensitive capabilities, which allow you to control the thickness and opacity of your strokes by varying the amount of pressure you apply to the stylus.

Pens for a Self-Contained Tablet

A self contained tablet or commonly known as Standalone tablet is a mobile device that has all the necessary features and components required for it to work without being connected to any other devices. This tablet includes a processor, storage, input/output ports, and a battery making it self contained.

self contained tablet

A self contained tablet can be used for a variety of purposes, such as browsing the web, taking notes, drawing sketches, or even writing.

The pens that work on a self contained tablet are numerous but only two are common and mostly used. The most common type of pen which works with a self contained tablet is an electro resonance pen, which works by detecting changes in electrical fields. Another type of pen is the capacitive pen, which works by detecting changes in capacitance.

Both of these types of pens work well on a self contained drawing tablet. Other types of pens, such as optical pens or infrared pens, are not as common and may not work as well on a self contained drawing tablet. If you are looking for the best possible pen experience, an electro resonance pen or a capacitive pen is the way to go.

How Do Pens Work?

Tablet pens use a process called electrostatic coupling. This means that they rely on interacting electric fields to transfer information from one device with conductive material in its tip (like your pen or stylus, for example) to another whose surface has been treated to be conducting enough upon touching it.

The two come together at points where there’s no physical contact between them whatsoever; instead, relying solely upon their respective properties, which cause an interaction resulting in data being sent wirelessly back up towards you without having touched anything else along the way either. 

So there you have it – the science behind how those nifty little styluses work on your tablet or smartphone without needing any batteries to help out.

While the technology is pretty simple in principle, in practice, it requires a lot of precision and accuracy to make sure everything runs smoothly; meaning that when it comes to using one of these devices, you can rest assured that a lot of time and effort has gone into making sure your experience is as lag-free and user-friendly as possible. And that’s always a good thing.

Where Does The Power Come From?

As we discussed, tablet pens are cleverly designed to not require batteries in order to function. Instead, they rely on a few different methods to generate power. Electromagnetic, static, and piezoelectric generation are all used to power tablet pens.

Electromagnetic Generation

Electromagnetic generation works by using electromagnets built into a circuit; this circuit generates electricity from hand movement. The more the pen moves with your body, the higher amount of charge you will generate. This charges up an internal battery that powers the lighted tip of your pen.

Static Generation

Static generation works by using friction between a ballpoint pen’s inner core and its outer tube-like sleeve. This creates static electricity, which is then discharged as sparks down toward that first wire in order to zap it enough to create voltage for electronics.

Piezoelectric Generation

Piezoelectric generation works by using a crystal that is inside or nib of your tablet pen. This crystal is pinched and broken when you click the button, generating an electric charge. That charge is then converted into a voltage by an electronic circuit, providing power to your pen’s light power.

All of these methods are clever ways to generate power for your tablet pen without needing batteries. So the next time you’re in need of a pen, don’t forget to bring your trusty tablet pen along with you! It’ll come in handy for all of your writing needs.

In some cases, though, you might find that your device doesn’t always seem to be as responsive as you’d like it to be. This could potentially be due to a build-up of static charge on the pen’s tip, which can eventually cause interference and disrupt the flow of information between the two devices.

If this happens, all you need to do is give the pen a quick wipe with a cloth to get rid of any excess charge, and you should be good to go!

Benefits Of Using A Stylus Pen

There are several benefits to using a stylus pen with your tablet. Here are some of them:

Using a stylus pen with your tablet can help you achieve greater accuracy when typing or drawing on a small screen. It provides a more natural writing experience than using fingers. It is also helpful in reducing the risks of smudge or damaging screens because there’s no need to touch anything; simply draw what needs to be drawn.

Pens help relieve RSI caused by mice and other input devices because we are used to pens in general and they are much more natural to hold and write or draw with.

Are Stylus Pens Rechargeable?

Obviously, pens which do not require any power do not need to be recharged.  Active pens however that do require power can be ran on single use batteries, rechargeable removable batteries, or built in rechargeable batteries.

If in doubt about what kind yours does, consult the manufacturer’s instructions before making assumptions based on appearances alone.  You never want to mistake of trying to recharge a non rechargeable battery as that may start a fire in your house.

What to Consider Before Buying a Pen for Your Tablet

Some tablets give you the option of using different tablet pens, such as drawing tablets that have different pens available for different types of art.  To choose, think about what you will be using the tablet for, whether its calligraphy or digital spray painting or drawing, etc.

Also keep in mind that not all pens from a brand will work with all tablets from that brand.  Some like bluetooh you may have to pair with the tablet, some may automatically get recognized, and some will not work with a particular tablet no matter what you do, you just have to buy the correct pen.

When selecting a stylus pen for your tablet, it’s important to consider the size and tip material.  The size of the pen should be comfortable for you to hold, and the tip material should be compatible with your tablet’s surface.  For example, if you have an iPad with a Retina display, you’ll want to choose a pen with a soft tip made of silicone or another similar material.

Last Words

Now that you know everything about tablet pens – how they work without batteries, different types, their pros, and cons, you might want to invest in a stylus pen.  Since these pens are a great way to interact with your device.

Many factors will play into this decision-making process when it comes down to which type of stylus pen is best for you. Each option has its pros and cons, from compatibility with different tablet surfaces to battery life or power sources needed.

So before making any decisions about what kind of stylus pen might work best for you, ask yourself these questions: What size does my hand need? Do I want a rechargeable or non-rechargeable product? Is my surface compatible with the material of the pen’s tip? With these things in mind, you should have no problem finding the perfect stylus pen for your needs.

Click the following link to learn about the best tablets for 3D animation.

How to Get Rid of (Slide) Mounting Medium?

Written by Terrisha Buckley in Biology techniques

You need to make some changes and restain a specimen you have on a slide but its mounted with a hardset medium and the entire specimen is permeated by the medium.

slide on stage

Is there a way to remove the mounting medium and reuse your tissue? Let’s find out.

There are many types of mounting media that are used to fix, or attach, a specimen to a slide. Mounting media are commonly classified into two categories: aqueous (water) based and solvent-based. The water-based ones are removed with water. The solvent-based ones are usually removed with a solvent. For commercial solutions, consult with manufacturer for best removal method.  Read on for details.

A specimen is usually fixed to a slide for fixed-cell imaging. In other words, when looking under a microscope cells that are known for moving around are not the most photogenic. It is important to freeze them in place. This is why fixation techniques are used. They can also help prevent photobleaching and help with optimizing the refractive index which allows us to see certain organisms more clearly.

microscope slide
Mounting media are utilized as a way to preserve a specimen and enhance the refractive index when looking at the specimen through the microscope. This allows us to see the specimen more clearly.

Media type considerations

Before you can get into what will get rid of a mounting medium, it is best to determine which mounting medium you are trying to dissolve. The two major forms of media are aqueous and solvent based media. Both require different methods of removing the media from the slide and the specimen.

Aqueous Mounting Medium:

Aqueous mounting media are water-based solutions. In fact the most basic wet mount is actual water. The most common type is a simple buffered saline solution such as PBS, or phosphate-buffered saline. Most aqueous mounting media used are soluble in PBS, water, or certain alcohols, like glycerol.

Once the sample is placed in the mounting media a coverslip can be applied. It is important at this stage to make sure there are no bubbles which could obstruct the view from the microscope.

Some examples of aqueous mounting media include:

  • Water (of course)

  • Glycerine gelly

  • Glycerol

  • Apathy’s medium

  • Farrant’s medium

  • Highman’s medium

  • Fructose syrup

  • Polyvinyl alcohol

Once coverslipped it is important to keep the samples wet. Sealants are often used to not only secure the coverslip but maintain the moisture of the sample. Paraffin wax is a commonly used sealant.

If or when ready to remove the coverslips, you can use glycerol to dissolve the wax and soak the slides in PBS. This will dissolve the mounting medium and fully free the coverslip and the sample from the slide. Please be aware that this will also remove any staining on the slide as well.

view through microscope
Mounting medium is great for fixed imaging of a specimen. It fixes the specimen in place and allows for a clear image for examination and image capture.

Organic Solvent Mounting Medium

For slides that are mounted using an organic substance, PBS alone isn’t going to be enough. PBS can be used as a final rinse, but it will not unmount the slides alone. For organic substances such as paraffin you must use an organic solvent such as xylene in order to remove the mounting media.

Some examples of these types of media include:

  • Canada balsam

  • Phenol balsam

  • Dammar balsam

  • Euparal

These media are great for retaining the stain when applied to a specimen and are a great way to preserve slides for long-term use. There is no need to be concerned about the sample drying out or degrading in any other way.

Many organic solvents like acetone or xylene are skin and/or respiratory irritants. It is best to make sure that all safety precautions are being taken.

solvent safety
Unmounting slides usually requires soaking in a solvent until the coverslip is released and the mounting medium is removed partially or completely to start from scratch.

Unmounting slides

In order to unmount a slide, first you have to soak the slide in a solvent until the coverslip loosens. If you applied paraffin to the sides of the coverslip, you must first dissolve this before the unmounting can begin.

Getting coverslip off

Coverslips are usually adhered to the slide with paraffin wax or another substance known as Du noyer’s wax-colophonium resin mixture. These substances are not soluble and can be difficult to remove. This is possibly the hardest part of the unmounting process. If the objective is to remove the mounting medium without degrading the sample, care must be taken.

The slide can be soaked in a solution with a small concentration of organic solvent like glycerol or xylene for a short period of time. Remove the slide and slowly remove the coverslip.

If you are trying to remove the coverslip from an aqueous medium, once you remove the coverslip you can rinse the slide in aqueous solutions like PBS or water. If you are trying to remove the coverslip from a more organic medium, you will have to soak the slide for a lot longer to remove the coverslip and the medium from the slide as these solvents are harder and take longer to dissolve.

Reusing tissue in immunohistochemistry

It is possible to reuse sections previously mounted for immunohistochemistry following the earlier mentioned steps such as by placing the slides in PBS and waiting for the coverslip to detach.  You can use a detergent like Tween to get rid of the medium but if there is a previously used antibody in the tissue section you will have to leave it longer in the detergent to wash out the bound antibody.  It is also not advisable for the second antibody to be from the same host animal as the first antibody used in previous mounting or you may be unclear where your signal detected under the microscope came from.

Keep in mind that reuse may not give you the best quality images from your slides, but it may be enough for a pilot study when you are limited on tissue. Its always better to use a weaker solution to remove the mounting medium for a longer amount of time than a very harsh solution for a shorter amount of time.

If you are using a commercial mounting medium you can always contact the company and ask them what is the best medium removal method that will preserve whatever you need preserved.  They have a lot of experience with this both from their experiments as well as user feedback.

 

Getting rid of embedding medium

One of the more common techniques that requires the removal of embedding medium from slides is immunohistochemistry. This is a technique used to analyze protein expression within tissue morphology. It requires the use of antibodies and staining in order to view under a microscope. Embedding media in these instances only gets in the way.

Before the process can begin, the specimen must be processed as normal histology slides by embedding in paraffin wax and being prepared through the slicing of a microtome. Once this is completed, the medium has to be removed.

This is done through soaking in fresh xylene for 5 minutes at least 3 times. Once this is completed, the rest of the process can continue. Soaking in fresh xylene doesn’t remove all of the medium because the specimen is still adhered to the slide. It also helps to rehydrate the specimen. However, it does remove enough to allow the antibodies and stain to adhere to the surface of the specimen.

Once this process is completed, the slides will go through another coverslipping process and be viewed under the microscope. This is a fairly tedious process that takes a few hours, but removing the slide medium is actually fairly quick.

Summary

There could be numerous reasons in which a person would want to remove the slide medium from a slide. Whether it is to start an experiment from scratch and reuse the slide or for such highly technical experiments like immunohistochemistry. The key elements are to fully determine the type of slide medium you are attempting to remove and the appropriate solvent. After that, the only thing that matters is time to remove the coverslip and remove the actual medium within the solvent.

Below is a useful video on mounting slides:

Click on the following link to learn how to make microscope mounting medium.

Can MRI Show Detail?

Written by Doc J in Medical Imaging

When you look at an MRI machine which only takes minutes to scan and does not have visible lenses and various size objectives like a microscope, you might ask yourself, how much detail does an MRI really show?

Opening of MRI machine

In this article I will describe what detail can be seen on an MRI, what MRI types show what level of detail and conditions that may affect how much detail is visible.

Continue reading “Can MRI Show Detail?”

What Is the Best Tissue Clearing Method? Commercial and DYI Options

Written by Doc J in Biology techniques

Tissue clearing which started as an isolated, complicated process taking a long time has over the years evolved and been improved by several groups.  It is now possible to purchase ready made reagents for tissue clearing and even skip the process of 3D printing chambers and constructing DYI setups.

test tubes with solution

 

Which then is the best tissue clearing method for your research?

There are many tissue clearing methods, such as hydrogel embedding tissue clearing, hyperhydrating solutions, aqueous-based tissue clearing, organic solvent-based tissue clearing methods, and high refractive index (RI) aqueous solutions. However, every method has its own advantages and disadvantages.  There is no one best method for all situations. Let me explain.

But first, a few clearing basics so that you can understand the differences between methods.

 

What Is Tissue Clearing?

Tissue clearing involves a series of chemical steps that render cell cultures or tissues transparent. Biological tissues are made up of heterogeneous materials that have different refractive indices (optical properties).

Examples of biological tissues are epithelial tissues, connective tissues, nervous tissues, and muscular tissues in animals.

Light absorption and light scattering inside tissues are the primary reasons for tissue opacity. And it is a major obstacle for the imaging of a complete organ or body.

Mismatches of refractive indices inside tissues are the primary reason for light scattering and tissue opacity.

Refractive index matching can make tissue transparent and decrease tissue scattering.

Controlling the tissue’s optical properties may result in tissue transparency by chemical or physical changes. Therefore, the purpose of tissue clearing is to clarify tissue by decreasing the absorption and scattering of light inside biological tissues.

The best tissue clearing method should preserve fluorescent proteins and should have a great clearing capacity.

Importance of Tissue Clearing

Imaging 3D cell cultures, spheroids, organoids, and microtissues can be challenging due to the opacity of these models. The outer layers of the sample may differ significantly in function and morphology from the inner layers. Hence, obtaining clear pictures of all the cell layers is essential to completely understand the tissue sample being analyzed on all levels.

Using tissue clearing methods lets you image 3D cell cultures, spheroids, and organoids.

What Are the Procedures of Tissue Clearing?

There are a number of tissue clearing methods, and each method comes with its own drawbacks and benefits. Many tissue clearing techniques are carried out by the following steps:

1. Tissue Fixation

Tissue fixation is done to preserve tissue and cell components during the tissue clearing process. Chemicals used to fix tissues during clearing include acrylamide hydrogel embedding, glutaraldehyde, and paraformaldehyde.

Chemically known as polyoxymethylene, paraformaldehyde is a cross-linking reagent that is better at preserving the structure of cells. Organic solvents, on the other hand, dehydrate the cells and extract lipids. They also cause complete precipitation of proteins to preserve cells.

2. Permeabilization

Permeabilization, or the puncturing of the cell membrane, ​is needed when big molecules like antibodies need to get inside the cells to detect intracellular antigens.

Delipidation reagents, hyperhydration reagents, and solvents (acetone and methanol) are some of the reagents used in permeabilization.

3. Decolorization

Endogenous pigments absorb light, significantly reduce imaging quality, and interfere with the penetration of the light. Decolorizing these pigments would lead to 3D imaging and transmission of the light.

4. Refractive Index Matching

Mismatches of refractive indices inside tissues is the primary reason for light scattering and tissue opacity. Equilibrating the refractive index of the whole tissue can decrease the scattering of light. Contrast reagents, hydrophilic reagents, and aromatic solvents are used for refractive index matching.

What Are the Best Tissue Clearing Methods?

Now let’s look at some of the best tissue clearing methods.

1. Hydrogel Embedding Tissue Clearing

Hydrogel embedding tissue clearing methods stabilize proteins in the sample by cross-linking them to a hydrogel, extracting lipids with detergents, and then immersing the samples in a solution with refractive indices between 1.38 and 1.45. The primary benefits of these methods are their good clearing performance. And what’s so good about these methods is that they are compatible with protein-based fluorophores. However, the disadvantage of these methods is that the tissue clearing is not fast.

Benefits

    • Expansion or swelling
    • Preservation of fluorescent proteins
    • Excellent clearing capacity

Drawbacks

    • Costly equipment needed
    • Technical complexity
    • Slow clearing times

Application

    • Mouse brain slices
    • Complete mouse organs
    • Complete mouse bones

 

2. Hyperhydration-Based Tissue Clearing

These methods use urea, detergents, and a final solution with a refractive index in the range of 1.38 to 1.48 to extract lipids. Examples of hyperhydration-based tissue clearing methods include the Scale family and CUBIC family.

The primary benefits of CUBIC are its preservation of fluorescent proteins and excellent clearing performance. However, big samples can take weeks to clear.

Benefits

    • Preservation of fluorescent proteins
    • Preservation of lipids
    • Compatible with immunostaining
    • High clearing capacity
    • Short clearing times (small samples)

Drawbacks

    • Expansion or swelling
    • Long clearing times are impractical for immunostaining
    • Long clearing times (large samples)

Application

    • Mouse embryo
    • Mouse brain slices
    • Mouse skin layers
    • Complete fish organs
    • Mouse body and organs

3. Aqueous-Based Tissue Clearing

These methods can be classified into two groups: simple immersion and hydration or delipidation. In simple immersion, samples are submerged in high RI aqueous solutions (1.44-1.52) and become transparent slowly and steadily. This process was chosen for its lipid preservation and technical simplicity. It’s also worth knowing that bigger samples take a longer time to clear. Hence, simple immersion is usually used to clear tiny insects, organoids, and other smaller samples. Aqueous solutions used for refractive index matching are extremely costly.

scientists working

It’s important to note that simple immersion methods do not remove lipids; hence, they cannot offer extremely transparent samples. Lipids are the primary source of light scattering. Tissue delipidation could improve quality and clearing efficiency. This can be accomplished with detergents or amino alcohols, such as Triton X-100, saponin, and sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Benefits of simple immersion tissue clearing

    • Preservation of fluorescent proteins
    • Preservation of lipids
    • Technical simplicity
    • Good for clearing small samples

Drawbacks of simple immersion tissue clearing

    • Costly clearing solutions
    • Transparency of sample limited by lipid preservation
    • Low clearing capacity for large samples
    • Long clearing times

Application

    • Sectioned chicken embryos
    • Neurospheres
    • Mammal organoids
    • Whole insects

4. Organic Solvent-Based Tissue Clearing

There are many kinds of organic solvent methods to clear tissues. Organic solvent-based tissue clearing methods dehydrate samples, remove lipids, and homogenize the refractive index to high value. Fast speed and high quality are the main benefits of this kind of tissue clearing. The main drawback of this method is the use of dangerous or corrosive chemicals that need sealing the sample to prevent damage to the microscope. Also, no lipid staining is possible because lipids are removed. Additionally, shrinkage of the sample can happen due to the dehydration steps.

Benefits

    • Compatible with immunostaining
    • Permanent preservation of samples
    • High clearing capacity
    • Short clearing times

Drawbacks

    • Toxic and corrosive chemicals require special care to prevent damage to the microscope
    • No direct lipid staining

Application

    • Whole human embryos
    • Tumor tissues
    • Stem cells
    • Mouse organs and body

 

The table below summarizes the characteristics of each tissue clearing method.

Family/Method

Time to clear

Main Components

Lipid Preservation

Changes in Tissue Morphology

Hydrogel Embedding

PARS

Days to Weeks

Histodenz

No

No

PACT

Days to Weeks

Histodenz

No

a little expansion

CLARITY

Days

 FocusClear

80% Glycerol

No

a little expansion

Hyperhydration

Whole Body CUBIC

Days

4M Urea

Yes

expansion

CUBIC

Days

 4M Urea

50% Sucrose

Yes

expansion

Simple Immersion

TDE

Days to Weeks

2,2′-thiodiethanol

Yes

No

SeeDB

Days

Fructose Thioglycerol

Yes

No

ClearT2*

Hours to Days

 Formamide PEG

Yes

No

ClearT

Hours to Days

 Formamide

Yes

No

FocusClear

Hours to Days

Diatrizoic acid

Yes

No

Organic Solvents

iDISCO

Hours – Days

Dichloromethane Dibenzylether

No

Shrinkage

BABB

Days

 Benzyl alcohol Benzylbenzoate

No

Shrinkage

Spatleholz

Months

 Benzylbenzoate Methylsalicilate

No

Shrinkage

Visikol HISTO

Hours to days

 Visikol HISTO-1, Visikol HISTO-2 and Visikol HISTO-M

Yes

No

 

Here is some more information about Visikol HISTO (organic solvent-based clearing technique.

Visikol HISTO is a tissue clearing method that renders biological tissues transparent through the refractive index matching method.

The Visikol HISTO protocol will differ significantly based upon the desired labels and the kind of tissue that is being used. The process is given below:

  • Biological tissues are usually fixed before processing.
  • The sample is pre-treated with the iDISCO to increase the penetration of the label into tissues.
  • The sample can be labeled using endogenous fluorescence, immunolabels, and stains.
  • Tissues are dehydrated to remove the water before tissue clearing.
  • Sample is cleared with Visikol HISTO-1 or Visikol HISTO-M.

 

Advantages of Visikol HISTO

    • No damage to morphology
    • Affordable
    • Fast tissue clearing
    • Easy-to-use
    • No special equipment needed
    • Compatible with fluorescent labels

Application

    • Whole mouse brain

 

 Which Tissue Clearing Method Is Best for You?

Here are some of the factors you need to consider when choosing the best tissue clearing method.

1. Ease-of-Use

The use of solvent-based methods and protein expansion clearing methods are relatively simple where samples are placed in different solutions until they are rendered transparent. On the other hand, hydrogel-based techniques need embedding samples in acrylamide hydrogels which is a considerably challenging process.

2. Processing Time

The time needed to render a sample transparent will depend on factors, such as the method of tissue preparation, age of the animal, size of the tissue, temperature, and kind of tissue. Other than that, each clearing method will react differently to each one of these factors. While solvent-based methods can render fatty tissues transparent without any difficulty, lipid removal methods cannot.

3. Molecular Labeling Technique

Tissue clearing methods are compatible with either fluorescent protein or immunolabeling or both. Each tissue clearing method comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. And methods that are compatible with both fluorescent protein and immunolabeling have their own specific cons such as slow clearing, toxicity, tissue shrinkage, and cost.

Things to Keep in Mind

You will need to take all these factors into account when choosing your clearing method.  You can experiment with several methods on tissue from the same source to compare them and narrow down your choices based on clearing quality, time taken, tissue shrinkage, or whichever factors are most important to you.

I personally have tested many methods, built my own clearing chambers from commonly available parts, and waited many weeks to see what the results would be.  Still, there was not one method for all tissue types, all fixatives, and all circumstances. Just keep a good notebook of all the test you have done as there may be many, and within each method you might want to run several tests with different tissue thickness and different settings.

Keep in mind more and more methods will be available in the future.  If you are short on time and dont want to go through the process of building a clearing device, buying a solution such as Visikol is a good option.

 

Check out this informative video on tissue clearing and tissue clearing methods:

 

Click the following link to learn about the best mounting medium for confocal microscopy.

Should I go Into Animation or Illustration? Differences and Career Options

Written by Doc J in 3D Education

Determining the path you want to pursue in life and setting the pace for your future can be very tricky. It is even more complicated when you aren’t sure of the most fulfilling career path for yourself, one that pays well and wouldn’t make you hate your job. Entire friends, family, and relatives- all want to give you their opinion on the most profitable field, and none of their suggestions make it any better.

illustration of cell division

 

One thing is for sure though, you want to be involved in a career related to visual arts because you love all things art.

You can become an animator or an illustrator, depending on the area that interests you most. If you love art, you are already on the right footing to venture into any of the two career paths. Animation and illustration are closely related, but you can choose either and specialize in it. Better yet, you can become a scientific illustrator or animator, helping break down complex concepts into simple and easily understood language through visual art.

Don’t stress your brain trying to figure out which of these two directions is most suitable for you. There is no harm in trying either animation or illustration and determining where you feel most comfortable working. However, the two are quite broad subjects that require you to understand what they entail. Read this article to get all the answers you need, starting with the definitions.

What Is Illustration?

Illustration is a form of visual art that an artist presents to tell a story or convey an idea. The artist draws an image that invites people to look at it and figure out its message without explanations or text. Therefore, an artist uses the image to break down a comprehensive topic into a milder and more memorable one. For instance, scientific artwork is welcomed by individuals who want to understand the complicated terms associated with science. An artist can draw an image of certain scientific subjects to represent what they are in medical terms accurately.

A good example is the images in your science book at school that helped you understand how a human’s internal organs look like. Those images act as a bridge between art and science, easing the complexities of scientific knowledge. If not for scientific illustrations, common scientific topics would have remained a theory in many people’s minds.

What Is Animation?

Animation is the manipulation of images to make them lifelike and give the illusion of movement. This form of visual art involves capturing the images of puppets, models, drawings, and characters to give an impression of sequence motion. Animation is very important to capture and retain images in people’s minds. Advertisers particularly relish it because they are aware of the power of animation in picture retention among the target audience. This is because the brain combines the sequence motion pictures into one moving image, considering that the human eye only retains a figure for approximately 1/10 of a second.

Scientific animation is widely used to engage individuals based on particular topics. For instance, medical professionals can use animation as a progressive and accurate documentation source. Animations help break down complex information through visual art to demonstrate medical processes and explain difficult concepts in a detailed and scientifically accurate way.

Should I Study and Work in Animation or Illustration

This is where the power of choice comes into play. Depending on what attracts you most, you can choose to be an animator or an illustrator. The two career paths help break down information and easily explain concepts, but they entail different working conditions and environments. For instance, an animator can work as part of a team designated to bring a certain concept into life. You will work in a team that uses art to tell stories through representational art. You will learn many filmmaking aspects through animation, including using props, drawing characters, storyboarding, cadence, and backgrounds. If any of these interests you, choose one aspect, specialize in it, and make a career out of animation,

Conversely, an illustrator has control of what they want to create. Illustration combines representation art (entailing things, people, and places) and non-representation art (involving patterns, abstract art, and designs). Working as an illustrator is more open-ended and flexible, allowing you to utilize certain techniques and utilize your unique artistic taste.

Therefore, one has to choose the most comfortable career path, whether animation or illustration. When you do the things that excite you, you will most likely enjoy your work and experience less burnout. You can always switch between the two if you want to, as both will challenge you to utilize creativity.

What Is the Difference Between Animation and Illustration?

The following are the main differences between the two:

  1. Illustrations are images that visualize an idea and convey a message without the help of text. They include photos, drawings, paintings, engravings, and collages. In contrast, animations are  illustrations involving a series of images in progression to simulate motion.
  2. Animation involves individuals working in a team to develop motion images and graphics in visual effects, movies, or games. Conversely, illustrators can work on their own and create pictures for publications, including newspapers, magazines, and books. They also develop images for commercial products.
  3. Illustration can involve using computers to draw images, scan them, and use software to color them. On the contrary, animation is primarily done on computers where artists mainly use software or write computer code to develop graphics.

Can I Do Both?

Yes, you can, but this solely depends on the type of illustration or animation you are involved in. For instance, if you are only interested in 2D animation, it is necessary to practice the two. This is because you may likely find getting work as an illustrator easy, and you may need to illustrate for you to animate in 2D. Animation and illustration are closely related, but that doesn’t mean that working in both will be easy.

When working as an animator for TV and screen, you quickly realize how expensive and time-consuming it may be. Therefore, burning both ends of the candle doesn’t sound like a great idea. What you need to do is focus on one niche (the one you’re most interested in) and tinker with the other in your spare time. This will gradually build your skills in both niches with time.

Animation vs. Illustration: Which Is Harder?

Animation is harder than illustration. This is because the time and attention to detail that goes into a short animation, say a 10-second video, is quite hectic. Doing animations is very repetitive; you need to replicate the art in many ways and capture even the tiniest bit of detail. Remember, you have to do all these replications while keeping the animation within the right dimensions, shape, and proportions. On the other hand, illustrations require drawing a still image on a paper of object. It also requires attention to detail but not as much as animation.

What Schooling Is Required for These Careers?

If you want to become an animator, you need a bachelor’s degree in animation programs or a closely associated field. You can also qualify to be a medical animator with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in art and a minor in biological sciences. However, the most preferred qualification for a scientific illustrator is a bachelor’s degree with a science major and an art minor.

An illustration career starts with a strong portfolio demonstrating the passion and ability to work in the art industry. You can land beginner-friendly illustration jobs with good drawing skills and a high-school diploma. However, it would be best if you still had at least a bachelor’s degree in illustration to market yourself as a professional illustrator. A medical illustrator needs to earn a degree in scientific illustration or a science-allied sphere. Most professionals in this field go the extra mile and earn master’s degrees in medical illustration due to the need to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of art and science.

Can I Switch Between These Two Careers Later On?

Yes, you can switch from being an illustrator to being an animator. And its nothing like switching from art history to physics.  The move is logical, and the transition process has been made easier with advancements in cost, usability, and software unification. It is a pretty smart move to transition between these two careers, and you can also use your knowledge to offer services in both fields- a plus in your portfolio and income.

However glorious the move appears, it has its challenges and setbacks. For an illustrator who wants to transition into animation, moving from a static image to a moving one can be arduous. While the two are closely related, they have different storytelling techniques and require different attention to detail. Therefore, an accomplished illustrator will have it rough successfully switching to animation, but the process is possible through a logical progression.

What Jobs Are Available for Illustration and Animation?

The following are the job options where your animation degree is useful:

  • Graphics designer
  • Animator
  • Illustrator
  • Concept artist
  • Web designer
  • Games developer
  • VFX artist

Your animation skills are also in demand in various fields, including medical, advertising, computer systems design, data visualization, and insurance. Other areas that require animation include software publishing and crime scene replication.

Similarly, one can work as an illustrator in the following job capacities:

  • Medical illustrator
  • Courtroom illustrator
  • Comic book illustrator
  • Fine Arts illustrator
  • Fashion illustrator

 

Here is an interesting comparison of 3D animation vs 2D animation:

 

Final Thoughts

Both animation and illustration are illustrious careers that will fulfill your desire to explore creative storytelling through visual elements. You can explore the two career paths and determine which niche suits you best. Then, proceed to carve your name as one of the most outstanding professionals in the visual arts industry.

Click on the following link to learn whether you can minor in medical illustration.

Best Tablets for 3D Animation

Written by Doc J in 3D Hardware

Today there is such a huge selection of tablets, both drawing and self contained tablet computers, that its difficult to choose one for your specific needs.

tablet for vr

In this article I will look at the best tablets for 3D animation and what makes them stand out.

As mentioned, I will cover both drawing tablets which connect to a PC, display tablets with screens that connect to a PC, as well as self contained tablets  in this review.  I will focus on tablets for 3D work, not for 2D work such as Photoshop. 

Currently, the best tablet for 3D animation is the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet.  Other good choices include the Wacom One, XP-Pen Deco 03,  HUION HS610, and the VEIKK A30. Let’s get into the reasons why.

Below are my findings along with some key details that each tablet for 3D animation has that can help you decide if another tablet for 3D animation might suit your needs better.

What should I look for in a tablet for 3D animation?

Before you go and purchase a tablet for 3D animation, you need to know that there are certain features that a tablet for 3D animation should have. These features can differentiate what tablet is good for 3D animation and what tablet isn’t.

In general, when you are doing 3D animation, you are also likely to be doing some 3D modeling on software such as Zbrush.  3D modeling is closer to drawing than is animation because you are basically using a pen to sculpt.

Here are a list of features you should consider when picking which tablet to buy:

1.Drawing directly on screen

A display tablet is a tablet that allows users to draw directly on the screen of that tablet. Even though there are many great tablets for 3D animation that aren’t display tablets, display tablets have an advantage as it’s easier to do 3D animation when you can draw directly on a tablet’s screen.  It makes work more intuitive and you feel more connected as you are not working on a surface separate from what you look at.

I am not saying you cannot do 3D animation with a drawing tablet, many do, but if you get a chance compare working on both types.  Not everyone prefers a heavier, larger, more fragile tablet however.

2. Size options

Size of the tablet matters for several reasons.  With a self contained display tablet computer or even a display drawing tablet, the main issue is the size of the screen.  You do not want a screen that is too small.  Screen and display quality is also important since you are looking at it instead of a monitor. Every consideration such as eye strain or unreadable fonts you would find on a monitor comes into play with display tablets.

On the other hand, with a drawing tablet and to a degree with the other type, you want to buy the size that matches your  drawing style.  For example some people find it easier and less stressful on the body to use a larger tablet and use their shoulder rather than wrist more.  Others find that to be too much work and tiring, which can cause RSI eventually.  They choose medium size tablets.

Size also matters when you travel or dont have a large desk.  A 24″ tablet is not perfect for these situations.  Again a medium tablet works well.  Keep in mind that not all companies sell tablets in different sizes like Wacom for example.  Some companies only make some tablets in one size.

Large display tablets can be very heavy.

2.Rubber legs

Another great feature for a tablet designed for 3D animation to have is rubber additions. This can come in the form of legs on the back of the tablet, where the rubber can allow the legs of a tablet to have a firm grasp on a surface by eliminating the potential of slipping, when the tablet is propped up.

3. Budget

Your budget matters as with any purchase.  Keep in mind that display tablets are usually more expensive than drawing tablets.  Some can go into thousands of dollars.

4. Shortcut buttons

Shortcut keys, and especially customizable ones, where you can even program mouse clicks into them, can speed up your animation workflow and make your work easier.  Tablets come with either none, a few, or many buttons.

Also keep in mind that on some tablets you have touch gestures enabled or a separate touch pad or touch enabled on the entire tablet.  Some people may find this useful for clicks etc.  I personally find it to get in the way, unless its on a separate little touch pad on the side.

5. Compatibility with software

This one applies to self contained tablets only.  Basically if the tablet cannot run the 3D software you intend on animating in or the processor is not fast enough or the graphics processor has refresh issues while running the software, you best stay away from that tablet.

6. Stylus pen features

The pens that come with tablets have various features which are important for 3D animation.  A pen should not require external batteries as these will make the pen heavier and need replacing.  A pen should have comfortable side buttons since you will likely be needing to perform right and possibly middle mouse clicks in addition to tip clicks for left mouse button.

In terms of pen sensitivity, it is more important when 3D sculpting, but it can be very useful for 3D animation when doing things such as painting weights on joints for animation.

7. Good surface

The tablet should have a nice smooth surface.  You can also buy half gloves made specifically for tablet work to help you move your hand over the surface easily without catching. Click here to learn more.

8. Properties manager

Your tablet should have not just a driver but a full tablet control app where you can choose key assignments, sensitivity (having too low or too high sensitivity is bad), things like pen mode vs mouse mode (does cursor end up in same place after you pick up pen and put it back down), custom key assignments and options for individual software, etc.

 

 Best Tablets For 3D Animation

Best overall tablet – Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro

wacom dtk2420

As stated above, the best tablet for 3D animation that you can use is the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet. There are many reasons why the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet is the best overall tablet for 3D animation.

First off, the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet is the best overall tablet for 3D animation because it’s exquisitely built. The Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet comes with a 4K resolution (which is 3840 x 2160 pixels). This quality of the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet is outstanding.

As well, the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet has buttons that aren’t on the actual Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet but on a movable remote with 17 keys, this gives you more screen space to draw (brilliant). This tablet hooks up to the latest versions of Mac and PC. As well, the Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet has cables for USB-C, HDMI and Mini/DisplayPort.

It has anti glare properties which as we all know is a big issue with tablets.  It has various stand options since its a large tablet to make your work comfortable.

This display tablet requires connection to a PC, which is a good thing, because as long as you can run your 3D software on it (and you can upgrade your PC piece by piece), you can use this tablet.

It also has the option to use the Wacom Pro Pen 3D (click here for more info and pricing), which is a pen specifically made for 3D work, a first, and has 3 fully customizable buttons for panning, zooming, tumbling, etc.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Runner Up- Wacom One

wacon one tablet

The Wacom One is a more budget oriented animation tablet with a screen.  The pen needs no batteries and works on PC or Mac, again a good thing since it uses your computer’s computing power for memory intensive 3D work.  It works well in programs like Blender, Maya and Zbrush.

The resolution is 1920×1080, less than the large Cintiq, but because its smaller its ok.

It does not have function keys on the surface (but its much less expensive) but you can always add keys with an external pad, programmable mouse or controller.

Keep in mind that the size is much smaller at 13.3 inches, it is basically the size of a medium sized laptop.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Best self contained tablet- Wacom MobileStudio Pro

wacom mobilestudio pro

This is a very capable tablet computer with an Intel Core i7 processor, a lot of RAM, and plenty of graphics memory in an Nvidia Quadro.  No need to connect to a computer.  Its pretty amazing what Wacom was able to fit in this design.  Do not be surprised at the price. Its basically a flat workstation, great if your main work is in graphics and you have limited room.  It even has upgradable RAM and SSD storage!

Its screen resolution is the highest at 3840x 2160.  The tablet can handle CAD and video applications in addition to 3D animation and modeling, making it a great investment for the right person.

It can also be used as a drawing display tablet connected to a computer. You can even connect up to 3 monitors to it if you want to increase your display area.  A tv can be connected to display your work to a large group.

Even though it has a display you write on, it still comes with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, great for both 3d animation and 3D sculpting.

It is also capable of using the Wacom Pro Pen 3D made specifically for 3D work.  But it has plenty of shortcut keys built right in right on the side.

It comes with an integrated stand for more comfortable work or to switch positions.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Runner up for self contained tablet- Apple 12.9 inch iPad Pro

apple ipad pro

 

Yes, you can do 3D work with an iPad Pro, thanks to its larger size and computing power.  Its also compact and not as high priced as some other tablets.  It is not perfect but more about the drawbacks later.

It has an M1 8 core CPU and an 8 core GPU.

It supports the Apple Pencil 2nd generation, which has tap functionality on its side in addition to the tip.  It has a battery inside so its needs to charge after 12 hours of use.

You can even connect it to a Magic Keyboard to change your workflow. There are no function keys but that can be done with an external device.

Even though you can do 3D modeling and sculpting on the iPad Pro using such apps as Forger and Shapr3D, you cannot really do 3D animation as of today.  Your only option is to export your sculpts and models to a 3D animation package later.  It is enough however to get someone new to 3D into the creative process.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Best budget tablet for 3D modeling-XP-Pen Deco 03

 

xp pen deco tablet

The best budget tablet for 3D modeling is the XP-Pen Deco 03 Wireless 2.4G Digital Graphics Drawing Tablet. It supports many different programs for 3D modeling.

It has a large drawing area compared to a similar size Wacom.  The tablet is light weight but well built.

The stylus supports 8192 levels of pen sensitivity, plenty for 3d animation or 3d modeling.  It has been tested with programs like Zbrush and Blender.

It comes with 6 fully customizable express keys on the side and a multi function dial.  It allows for different key setup for different programs.

It works with a wired or wireless connection to your computer.  It does not have a screen.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Best value tablet for 3D animation- Huion HS610

 

Huion HS610 tablet

The best-valued tablet for 3D animation is the HUION HS610 Graphics Drawing Tablet. It needs to be connected to a computer to function, whether its a PC or Mac.  It is compatible with popular 3D software packages.

It comes with as many as 28 customizable keys on the side of the tablet as well as a touch ring for changing brush size, etc. The software interface is very similar to Wacom tablets.  It has all the features of more expensive tablets like pen tilt.

The pen is battery free like a Wacom.  The buttons on the side of the pen can be assigned to things like mouse clicks etc.  It comes with an artist glove included for less resistance while working.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

 

Best ergonomic tablet for 3D animation- Veikk A30 V2

 

Veikk A30 tablet

 

This tablet has ergonomics in mind (and its very affordable). There are no buttons to press, instead there is a main drawing area, a gesture pad separately on the side and 4 touch keys that can be assigned.

One feature that the VEIKK A30 Drawing Tablet has is that it is equipped with Intelligent Passive Technology. Intelligent Passive Technology means that the screen of the VEIKK A30 Drawing Tablet is more sensitive to the pressure of the drawing pen when you draw on it. As a result, you won’t need to exert as much force on the screen of the VEIKK A30 Drawing Tablet when you use it. Therefore, you will have a better time physically when using the VEIKK A30 Drawing Tablet.

The tablet is mostly drawing surface which means there is no wasted space.  You dont want a large tablet next to several other input devices on your desk, its just too far to reach.

Its compatible with PCs and Macs.  The pen does not need a battery.  It has two assignable buttons like a Wacom pen.

The pressure sensitivity is comparable to other tablets and adequate.

It works well with software like Zbrush, Blender, Sculptris, Mari etc.

It comes with an artist glove so you dont have to buy one separately.  It works for both right and left handed users.

To see more features and current pricing, click here.

To summarize

There you go. The  best tablets for 3D animation. The Wacom DTK2420K0 Cintiq Pro 24 tablet is the best overall tablet for 3D animation. The runner up is the Wacom One.  The best tablet for multiple activities, jobs and tasks is the Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The best tablet for 3D modeling is the XP-Pen Deco 03 Wireless 2.4G Digital Graphics Drawing Tablet. The best-valued tablet for 3D animation is the HUION HS610 Graphics Drawing Tablet. The best ergonomic tablet for 3D animation is the VEIKK A30 Drawing Tablet.

Click on the following link to learn how to use a tablet for 3D animation.

 

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