Devices
Device types
Semphony models different instruments in a consistent way, so you can build workflows that combine multiple devices without thinking about the exact vendor software behind each one. This chapter gives a high-level view of how common device types fit into that model.
Scanning electron microscopes (SEM)
For SEMs, Semphony typically controls things like:
- Acquiring images or image series at defined conditions.
- Moving the stage to specified positions or tilt/rotation angles.
- Switching between imaging conditions or recipes.
When vendor SDKs are available, device agents talk directly to them for precise control. When not, GUI-based control strategies can be used to drive the vendor software with automation.
Optical microscopes
Optical microscopes often act as fast, flexible imaging front-ends around an in-situ experiment. In Semphony they might provide capabilities such as:
- Changing capturing settings like exposure time or gain.
- Controlling illumination or filter configurations.
- Acquiring images or short videos at key points during a test.
These microscopes can be combined with deformation devices to create richer in-situ workflows e.g. for DIC measurements during a tensile test.
Deformation devices
Deformation devices are often at the heart of in-situ experiments. In Semphony they commonly expose:
- Displacement or force control, including ramps, holds and limits.
- Controlling the strain rate or stress rate.
- Optional control over temperature or environment if the device supports it.
Semphony allows you to coordinate these loading profiles with imaging devices so that images, videos, or other measurements are taken at the right stages of the experiment, without requiring manual intervention.
Extending to new device types
The same ideas extend to other instruments in the lab — such as environmental chambers, electrical measurement equipment, or custom-built rigs. As long as a device agent can talk to the hardware or its software, Semphony can integrate it into a multi-device experiment.
While documentation is not yet available for custom device agent development, any instrument that can be controlled via a GUI, SDK or API can be integrated into a Semphony experiment.