Electron Microscopy Enters the Age of Automation

Distiller Platform - Electron Microscopy at Berkeley Lab

The world of materials science is entering a transformative new era thanks to a cutting-edge advancement by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Their new web-based platform, aptly named Distiller, is revolutionizing how we use electron microscopy by harnessing the power of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-performance computing.

Traditionally, electron microscopy requires human operation and is limited to small-scale image acquisition. But with Distiller, researchers can now automate the entire workflow—from capturing high-resolution images across wide areas to streaming data in real-time to supercomputers for instant analysis.

Why This Matters: Supercharged Science in Real Time

Electron microscopes today can collect 700 gigabytes of data in just 15 seconds. Handling this flood of information has been a bottleneck—until now. The team at Berkeley Lab’s National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM) and National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) developed a novel data pipeline that skips hard disk storage altogether, streaming data directly to supercomputers for real-time processing.

“We now have a way for people to interact with a detector on one side and a supercomputer on the other side with a simple webpage called Distiller in the middle.” – Peter Ercius, Interim Director at NCEM

Automation Meets Artificial Intelligence

Berkeley Lab’s automation client functions like a scientific assistant—focusing images, snapping photos, moving the microscope stage, and repeating these steps endlessly to map large material samples. Combined with AI/ML techniques, Distiller intelligently extracts the most relevant data and presents it to scientists in real time.

This breakthrough is part of the 4D Camera Distillery program, a DOE-funded initiative that applies machine learning to improve scientific instrumentation.

Bridging Lab and Cloud

The key to Distiller’s success lies in its seamless integration between lab instrumentation and cloud-based supercomputing. Think of it as the Netflix of microscopy—you stream experiments instead of downloading them. This innovation is not just faster—up to 14x more efficient—but also more scalable for future scientific discovery.

According to Bjoern Enders from NERSC, Distiller exemplifies the DOE’s Superfacility concept and Integrated Research Infrastructure (IRI) vision, enabling distributed, high-throughput research across geographic locations.

The Future of Microscopy is Remote, Automated, and Intelligent

Researchers around the globe can now access this technology remotely through the Molecular Foundry’s User Program. As Distiller evolves, its framework may extend beyond NCEM to support other domains, paving the way for real-time discoveries in quantum materials, battery technology, and next-gen electronics.

The Berkeley Lab’s contribution doesn’t just enhance microscopy—it redefines how science is conducted in the 21st century.

🔗 Read the full article: A New Age of Electron Microscopy: Magnifying Possibilities With Automation

📡 Published on Quantum Server Networks – your gateway to tomorrow’s science and innovation.

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