Automated Image Analysis (W. Johnston, S. Lewis, J. Jaklevic, and E. Theil) — 

 Most mapping protocols rely upon visualization of DNA. Therefore, development of 

 hardware and software for automatic capture, analysis, indexing, and storage of images 

 is needed to advance the generation of physical maps whether by PFG analysis, 

 confocal microscopy, or STM. The gel imaging system being developed here 

 emphasizes automatic electronic filtering of peaks for band identification. The filter 

 procedure is designed to remove constant or linear background while compensating for 

 the weak signal that may be present from shoulders on better defined peaks. Other 

 aspects of the imaging system include development of a simple-to-use image database 

 and automatic lane compensation. The overall goal is a highly integrated acquisition, 

 analysis, storage, and retrieval system for any image. 



Robotics (J. Gingrich, S. Lewis, J. Jaklevic, and E. Theil) — Robotic techniques are 

 being developed to automate and accelerate the labor-intensive steps that currently limit 

 the rate of generating physical maps. This effort is resulting in modification of existing 

 hardware as well as the development of new software. Applications currently being 

 tested for robotic automation include screening yeast colonies for those containing 

 YACs; processing DNA samples for PFG analyses: and collecting and processing DNA 

 samples separated by PFG for further electrophoretic analysis, sequencing, or 

 amplification by PCR. 



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