How to Use Curv-o-Matic

Access the Curv-o-matic (COM) application via the Products menu drop-down in the main navigation on the Home page, or by clicking on one of the various COM callouts placed throughout the site.

COM now includes most of the products that can be purchased on the website. Some currently may not have transmission and or blocking curves and as a result will not appear.

The COM application consists of the following components and functionality:

Controls: The controls area consists of three utilities for selecting Filters/Filter Sets, Fluorophores and Light Sources. The utilities are presented in an accordion-style fashion such that only one utility is displayed at a time.

One, two, or ALL three utilities can be used. Light Source and Fluorophores can be selected only when a fluorescence filter set is chosen.

Typing a filters center wavelength, cut on or cut off or a filter set’s XF number into the search field dynamically updates the listing to only display item whose name matches the specified text. Clicking an item causes the respective data to be displayed in the graph area. In addition, one can click the Hide/Show Controls tab/button to toggle the display of the Controls area. When the area is hidden, the graph expands width-wise.

When searching filters; you have the following options:

search by microscopy filter set part number (IE:XF101). You can select only 1 filter set at a time. To clear, reset of “x” out the product.
OR
Search by wavelength (IE: 595). You can select up to 3 filters at a times. To clear, reset of “x” out the product.

Graph/Curve: The graph area charts the data for the selected Filter or Filter Set, Flurophores and Light Source. The graph area is expandable based on whether or not the Controls area is set to display, as described above. In addition, you can move the ends of the spectrum bar at the bottom of the area to adjust the wavelength range of the graph. The bar can be moved simply by clicking on it.

Reset Button: Clicking this button clears all selections. You can also click on “Reset Search” link next to “Your Results”.

Print This Curve Button: Clicking this button causes a pop-up box to appear, from which you can choose to print a static image of the generated graph, including the list of current selections.

Curve Type Selector: This utility consists of two radio buttons, one for Optical Density and one for Transmission. Selecting one option causes the graph area to chart data from the respective data file (Optical Density vs. % Transmission) for the selected Filter or Filter Set.

Calculate Figure of Merit Button: This area displays the calculated Figure of Merit based on the selected Filter Set, Fluorophore and Light Source.

How to use Figure of Merit: Select one filter set, one fluorophore, and one light source (the selection of a light source is not required but is recommended for best results). Click “Calculate Figure of Merit” to obtain the filter set’s relative figure of merit.
See Figure of Merit for more detailed instructions.

Your Results: This area displays the selected Filters/Filter Sets, Fluorophores and Light Source.

The following describes the display area for each selection type:

Filter Set/Component – Each selected component is displayed. In the case of Filter Sets, each Filter within the set is displayed. Next to each Filter is a link to view the .csv/.txt file of % Transmission data supplied for the component. In addition, each Filter and/or Filter Set can be added to your shopping cart by clicking the ‘Add to Cart’ button.

You can click on the X button to remove the Filter/Filter Set from the graph. Finally, when a Filter is selected, a drop-down appears of Filter Sets that include the selected Filter. Selecting a Filter Set from the drop-down replaces the selected Filter with the selected Filter Set.

Constraints: You can select maximum of three (3) individual filters/components to be displayed at one time, OR one (1) filter set at one time.

Add To Cart – When you click on “Add to Cart”, you are asked to select required Filter Size and Quantity. When you add a Filter Set to cart, you need to select required size based on microscope model used. IMPORTANT: Microscope cube needs to be purchased separately.

Fluorophore – Each selected Fluorophore is displayed along with colored check box each for Emission Peak and Excitation Peak. Un-checking one of these boxes hides the peak from the graph, but does not remove the Fluorophore from the selections altogether. Clicking the X button next to the Fluorophore removes it from the graph altogether. In addition, a dropdown displays a list of Fluorophores compatible with the selected Filters/Filter Sets.

Constraints: You can select maximum of four (4) fluorophores to be displayed at one time.

Light Source – The selected Light Source is displayed. One has the ability to remove the selected Light Source.