Rethinking sustainability in modern imaging

In today’s research laboratories, sustainability has become an essential focus. It is no longer limited to material choices or energy use but extends to the entire lifecycle of instruments, from how they are designed and built to how long they can be used and upgraded. The field of microscopy reflects this shift, as both laboratories and manufacturers seek ways to reduce environmental impact while maintaining scientific excellence.

A defining example of this transition came with the replacement of mercury lamps by LED illumination in fluorescence microscopy, which dramatically lowered energy consumption and simplified maintenance. This change proved that sustainability and performance can coexist and even strengthen each other.

At Telight, sustainability is not just a design consideration but a guiding principle. We see it as the practice of developing, using, and upgrading imaging systems in ways that minimize waste, extend operational lifetime, and support reuse rather than replacement. Our LiveCodim imaging platform embodies this philosophy by offering a way to transform existing widefield or confocal microscopes into advanced super-resolution systems.

Extending instrument lifetime through intelligent upgrades

Optical microscopes are among the most durable scientific tools, often serving laboratories for decades. Yet, while their mechanical and optical structures can remain fully functional, digital cameras, illumination modules, and control electronics often become outdated much sooner. Replacing the entire microscope in such cases is not only costly but also environmentally wasteful.

Upgrading or retrofitting offers a far more sustainable path. By extending the useful life of a microscope, laboratories reduce waste, lower costs, and conserve valuable materials. Common upgrades include new cameras, modern LED illumination, and updated control software.

At Telight, we take this approach one step further. With LiveCodim, existing microscopes can be enhanced with a patented technology that adds gentle super-resolution imaging capability. Connected through a standard C-mount interface, this upgrade turns an ordinary microscope into a flexible imaging platform capable of revealing fine cellular structures while maintaining compatibility with the original setup.

Such upgrades not only reduce the environmental footprint but also improve energy efficiency, avoid hazardous materials, and enhance reliability. Retrofitting preserves the core of the microscope, its optical and structural integrity — while giving it new life through state-of-the-art technology.

LiveCodim offers a sustainable path to super-resolution

LiveCodim is designed specifically to bring super-resolution imaging within reach of laboratories that already own capable microscopes. Based on the principle of Conical Diffraction, this technology shapes the light beam and scans the sample in a structured manner to achieve resolution around one hundred nanometers while maintaining low phototoxicity and minimal photobleaching.

Widefield vs. LiveCodim images