Royer, L.A. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3708 (2016).

Light-sheet microscopy has proven a versatile tool for imaging the behavior and development of numerous model organisms. However, image quality in light-sheet microscopy is affected by the orientation and optical properties of the specimen, which in the case of living samples can change over time. Royer et al. sought to automate acquisition of optimal images of living specimens. To do so, they developed a method for adaptive imaging called AutoPilot that integrates a multiview light-sheet microscope with movable light-sheet and detection planes through a computational approach capable of optimizing spatial resolution in real time. The AutoPilot framework allowed the team to carry out extended adaptive imaging of developing zebrafish and Drosophila embryos as well as whole-brain imaging of calcium signaling in larval zebrafish.