Welcome to our Java-powered Intel^® Play™ QX3™ Computer Microscope simulator. This interactive Java tutorial explores how the hardware (QX3 microscope) and computer software work together to produce digital images. Instructions for operation of this tutorial are outlined below the applet window.

Follow the instructions listed below to operate the microscope. A detailed explanation follows the list.

• Place your mouse cursor over the green button on the Choose A Sample menu and select a sample. It will slowly appear in the Live View screen. The samples in menu #3 are default and automatically download with the applet. You can select different samples from menus #1 and #2.

• Use the mouse to adjust the focus of the sample with the blue focus knob.

• Make sure the proper illumination source (top or bottom lamp) is turned on. If the wrong source is chosen, the sample will appear very dark.

• Rotate the green magnification ring to choose the 10x (default), 60x, or 200x objective. A higher magnification view of the sample will appear in the Live View screen.

• You can simulate capturing a digital image by pressing either the Snapshot button on the screen menu or by clicking the mouse on the uppermost green button on the microscope.

• During periods of inactivity, the tutorial launches a screen saver that bounces the image from the Live View screen around the small computer monitor. The actual QX3 microscope software takes control of the computer video drivers and deactivates any screen savers during operation.

• Click on the green reverse arrow in the lower left hand corner to go to the Main menu. The last image captured by the software will appear in the large window of the Main menu. From the Main menu, you can exit the software to the Windows desktop by clicking on the stop sign icon in the upper right hand corner or return to the Live View menu by clicking on the QX3 icon in the lower right hand corner.

• When you finish playing with the microscope, use the mouse to click the monitor button to the off position.

The applet first loads a splash screen while the images are being downloaded from the server. When download is complete, the software initializes the microscope's default setting of top light activated and 50-percent intensity on the illumination slider. The Live View screen appears white due to reflected light from the diffusion screen of the microscope. Use the green arrow button to choose a sample from the pull-down menu. When a sample is selected, it will appear in the microscope Live View screen at 10x magnification, the microscope's default. Use the green magnification ring to select a new magnification. If the specimen appears dark and will not respond to the intensity slider, change lamps. The samples in menu #3 load by default, and additional samples can be selected from menus #1 and #2. Use the Snapshot button or the small green button at the top of the microscope to capture a digital image.

Questions or comments? Send us an email.

© 1995-2022 by Michael W. Davidson, Kirill I. Tchourioukanov, and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.

This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

The QX3 microscope design is copyrighted © 2022 by Mattel, Inc. Intel® Play™ is a registered trademark of the Intel Corporation. These companies reserve all of their rights and privileges under copyright law. The material contained in this website is solely the opinion of the authors and is intended for eduational use only.

Last Modification Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 01:19 PM

Access Count Since December 24, 1999: 362082

Visit the official Intel Play website:

Visit the websites of our partners in education: