In this article we will concentrate on the advances in the application of electronics in bio-medical research laboratories because this is where tomorrow's commonplace equipment originates. From the wealth of material and the wide variety of different electronic techniques perfected in the past few years we have selected a few examples which appear to be headed for use in the immediate future and which offer completely new tools in medical research.

Many cells, bacteria, and other microorganisms are transparent to visible light and must be stained for microscopic investigation. This stain often disrupts the normal cell activity or else colors only the outside. A completely new insight into living cells and their structure will be possible by use of a new technique which replaces visible light with ultraviolet radiation and combines a microscope with a color -- TV system to view the results.

Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of the ultraviolet microscopy system developed at the Medical Electronics Center of Rockefeller Institute. By combining the talents of a medical man, Dr. Aterman, a biophysicist, Mr. Berkely, and an electronics expert, Dr. Zworykin, this novel technique has been developed which promises to open broad avenues to understanding life processes.

Three different wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation are selected by the variable filters placed in front of the three mercury xenon lights which serve as the ultraviolet sources. These wavelengths are reflected in sequence through the specimen by the rotating mirror; the specimen is magnified by the microscope. Instead of the observer's eye the image orthicon in the TV camera does the ``looking.'' The microscope and orthicon are both selected to operate well into the ultraviolet spectrum, which means that all lenses must be quartz.