DiSPIM Hardware Safety Checklist

January 20, 2026 · View on GitHub

Colleague Consultation Guide

This checklist helps ensure safe deployment of the new Gently DiSPIM control software by gathering essential safety information from experienced users.

🚨 CRITICAL: Complete Before Any Hardware Testing

Date: ________________
Colleague Name: ________________
Experience with this DiSPIM system: ________________

1. Device Safety Limits

1.1 Piezo Stages (Focus Control)

Piezo A (Side A focus):

  • Safe position range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Typical operating range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Home position (safe startup): _______ μm
  • Emergency safe position: _______ μm
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ μm/s
  • Forbidden positions/zones: _________________
  • Sample collision risk at: _______ μm
  • Objective collision risk at: _______ μm

Piezo B (Side B focus):

  • Safe position range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Typical operating range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Home position (safe startup): _______ μm
  • Emergency safe position: _______ μm
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ μm/s
  • Forbidden positions/zones: _________________
  • Sample collision risk at: _______ μm
  • Objective collision risk at: _______ μm

1.2 Galvo Mirrors (Beam Steering)

Galvo A (Side A beam steering):

  • Safe angle range: _______ ° to _______ °
  • Typical operating range: _______ ° to _______ °
  • Home position (safe startup): _______ °
  • Emergency safe position: _______ °
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ °/s
  • Angles that hit detectors: _________________
  • Angles that hit other surfaces: _________________

Galvo B (Side B beam steering):

  • Safe angle range: _______ ° to _______ °
  • Typical operating range: _______ ° to _______ °
  • Home position (safe startup): _______ °
  • Emergency safe position: _______ °
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ °/s
  • Angles that hit detectors: _________________
  • Angles that hit other surfaces: _________________

1.3 XY Stage (Sample Positioning)

X-axis:

  • Safe position range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Typical operating range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Home position: _______ μm
  • Emergency position: _______ μm
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ μm/s

Y-axis:

  • Safe position range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Typical operating range: _______ μm to _______ μm
  • Home position: _______ μm
  • Emergency position: _______ μm
  • Maximum safe speed: _______ μm/s

Sample holder collision zones: _________________

2. Operational Safety

2.1 Daily Startup Procedure

What positions do you move devices to when starting up each day?

  1. First device to move: _________________ to _______
  2. Second device to move: _________________ to _______
  3. Third device to move: _________________ to _______
  4. Order matters because: _________________

2.2 Daily Shutdown Procedure

What positions should devices be in when shutting down?

  1. Piezo A: _______ μm
  2. Piezo B: _______ μm
  3. Galvo A: _______ °
  4. Galvo B: _______ °
  5. XY Stage: X=_______ μm, Y=_______ μm
  6. Reason for these positions: _________________

2.3 Emergency Procedures

If software crashes or hardware gets stuck:

  1. Immediate action: _________________
  2. Emergency stop button location: _________________
  3. Safe manual positions:
    • Piezo A: _______ μm
    • Piezo B: _______ μm
    • Galvo A: _______ °
    • Galvo B: _______ °
  4. Who to contact: _________________
  5. Hardware reset procedure: _________________

3. Sample and Hardware Protection

3.1 Sample Protection

What can damage samples?

  • Piezo positions that crush samples: _________________
  • Galvo angles that photo-damage: _________________
  • XY positions that hit sample holder: _________________
  • Movement speeds that damage samples: _________________

3.2 Hardware Protection

What can damage the microscope?

  • Piezo positions that hit objectives: _________________
  • Galvo angles that damage detectors: _________________
  • XY positions that collide with stages: _________________
  • Movement sequences to avoid: _________________

3.3 Optical Protection

What can damage optics or detectors?

  • Galvo angles that direct beam incorrectly: _________________
  • Laser power settings that damage detectors: _________________
  • Beam paths to avoid: _________________

4. Typical Operating Parameters

4.1 Autofocus Parameters

For typical autofocus scans:

  • Piezo scan range: ±_______ μm around current position
  • Typical step size: _______ μm
  • Number of steps: _______
  • Safe scan speed: _______ μm/s

4.2 Calibration Parameters

For two-point calibration:

  • Typical calibration point 1: _______ μm
  • Typical calibration point 2: _______ μm
  • Safe positions for calibration imaging: _________________

4.3 Embryo Detection Parameters

For embryo detection with bottom camera:

  • XY scan range: X: ±_______ μm, Y: ±_______ μm
  • Step size for detection: _______ μm
  • Safe Z position during XY scan: _______ μm

5. Hardware-Specific Notes

5.1 Known Issues

Any known problems with this specific system:

  • Devices that stick or drift: _________________
  • Positions to avoid: _________________
  • Movement sequences that cause problems: _________________
  • Hardware quirks: _________________

5.2 Maintenance Positions

Positions needed for cleaning/maintenance:

  • For objective cleaning: _________________
  • For stage cleaning: _________________
  • For detector access: _________________
  • For safe manual intervention: _________________

6. Validation Questions

6.1 Movement Validation

Before each automated sequence, what should be checked?

  • Sample is properly mounted and won't move
  • Objectives are clean and properly positioned
  • No tools or obstacles in movement path
  • _________________
  • _________________

6.2 Safety Indicators

What indicates unsafe conditions?

  • Visual indicators: _________________
  • Sounds that indicate problems: _________________
  • Software warnings to take seriously: _________________
  • When to stop immediately: _________________

7. Testing Approval

7.1 Phase 1: Read-Only Testing

Approval for reading device positions (no movements):

  • Approved - Safe to connect software and read positions
  • Not approved - Concerns: _________________

Colleague signature: _________________ Date: _______

7.2 Phase 2: Write-Back Testing

Approval for writing back identical positions (no net movement):

  • Approved - Safe to write back same positions
  • Not approved - Concerns: _________________

Colleague signature: _________________ Date: _______

7.3 Phase 3: Limited Movement Testing

Approval for small test movements within safe limits:

  • Approved - Safe for limited movements with filled-in limits
  • Not approved - Additional safety measures needed: _________________

Colleague signature: _________________ Date: _______

8. Contact Information

Primary contact for hardware questions: _________________
Phone: _________________
Email: _________________

Backup contact: _________________
Phone: _________________
Email: _________________

Emergency contact (after hours): _________________
Phone: _________________

9. Additional Notes

Any other safety considerations, warnings, or advice:

Checklist completed by: _________________
Date: _________________
Signature: _________________

Next Steps After Completion

  1. Create limits configuration file:

    python safe_limits_config.py create_template

  2. Fill in the generated template with information from this checklist

  3. Test hardware connection (read-only):

    python test_hardware_connection.py /path/to/micromanager config.cfg

  4. Test write-back verification:

    python test_read_write_back.py /path/to/micromanager config.cfg baseline_state.json

  5. Load colleague limits and begin careful testing:

    python safe_limits_config.py load_colleague_file colleague_limits.json

⚠️ DO NOT proceed to hardware testing until this checklist is complete and signed!