1. Introduction
The AURA Light Engine consists of 3 to 5 individually addressable solid-state light sources with
integrated electronic control systems. The constituent light sources may be LEDs or luminescent
light pipes. The outputs of the constituent light sources are refined by bandpass filters and merged
into a common optical train directed to the light output port on the front panel. The light output port
has a built-in adapter for connection to an SMA-terminated optical fiber or a liquid light guide (LLG).
An onboard photodiode continuously monitors the light output and generates reference signals that
can be applied to the constituent sources in a feedback loop to maintain constant light output over
time. The light sources within the AURA Light Engine are controlled by an on-board microprocessor
operating Lumencor firmware accessed via one of two serial interfaces, USB/RS-232 or TCP. The
user can enable or disable each source independently by serial commands as well as change the
intensity of each source independently. The AURA Light Engine can either be controlled by third
party microscopy data acquisition software or by a GUI resident on the on-board microprocessor.
Alternatively, the light sources may be turned on and o
ff
by TTL inputs from a trigger device such as
a camera or a real-time controller. The only manual control is the master power switch on the front
panel. Optimal internal operating temperature is maintained by negative pressure air cooling with
the air intake at the front of the light engine and the exhaust fan at the the rear.
AURA Light Engine Manual 57-10011
4