Touch screen interface for laser processing

1. A laser processing system configured to process a specimen, comprising:

a controller;

a first camera having a first field of view operatively connected to said controller;

a touch screen user interface operative to input user commands and operatively connected to said controller to display images from said first camera, the user input commands comprising touching the touch screen user interface; and

motion stages configured to hold said specimen within the first field of view and operatively connected to said controller;

said controller being operative to accept said input user commands from said touch screen user interface, transform said user commands into output commands and communicate said output commands to said motion stages; and

wherein said motion stages, in response to said output commands, are operative to move said specimen relative to said first field of view according to said input user commands;

wherein the controller is operative to detect the motion of the user input commands on the touch screen user interface and then to direct the motion stages to move the specimen with respect to the field of view of the camera, thereby changing the image being displayed on the touch screen user interface as if the user were directly manipulating the specimen rather than repositioning the specimen in the field of view.

2. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein said laser processing system is one of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy, or matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight spectroscopy.

3. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein said first camera is operative to image said specimen using an optical microscope.

4. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein said system has a second camera operatively connected to said controller for imaging a second field of view which is smaller than the first field of view, the second camera being usable to view the specimen while the first camera being usable to move the specimen.

5. A method for controlling a laser processing system for processing a specimen comprising:

providing a controller having input and output commands;

providing a first camera having a first field of view operatively connected to said controller;

providing a touch screen user interface operative to input user commands and operatively connected to said controller;

providing motion stages configured to hold said specimen within said first field of view and operatively connected to said controller;

inputting user commands from said touch screen user interface and communicating said input user commands to said controller as said input commands, the user input commands comprise touching the touch screen user interface;

transforming said input commands with said controller into said output commands and communicating said output commands to said motion stages; and

wherein said mod on stages, in response to said output commands, alter the relationship between said first field of view and the specimen according to said input user commands and thereby control said laser processing system;

wherein the transforming comprises:

detecting, the motion of the user touch input commands on the touch screen user interface; and then

directing the mod on stages to move the specimen with respect to the field of view of the camera, thereby changing the image being viewed on the touch screen user interface as if field of view.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said laser processing system is one of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy, or matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight spectroscopy.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said first camera images said specimen using an optical microscope.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising operably connecting a second camera to said controller for imaging a second field of view which smaller than said first field of view.

9. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operative so that the image of the specimen is movable more than the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

10. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operative so that the image of the specimen is movable equal to the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

11. The laser processing system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operative so that the image of the specimen is movable less than the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the transforming comprises:

moving the image of the specimen more than the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein the transforming comprises:

moving the image of the specimen equal to the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the transforming comprises:

moving the image of the specimen less than the motion input resulting from the touching of the touchscreen user interface.

15. A laser processing system configured to process a specimen, comprising:

a controller;

a first camera having a first field of view operatively connected to said controller;

a touch screen user interface operative to input user commands and operatively connected to said controller to display images from said first camera, the user input commands comprising touching the touch screen user interface; and

motion stages configured to hold said specimen within the first field of view and operatively connected to said controller;

said controller being operative to accept said input user commands from said touch screen user interface, transform said user commands into output commands and communicate said output commands to said motion stages;

a second camera operatively connected to said controller for imaging a second field of view which is smaller than the first field of view, the second camera being usable to view the specimen while the first camera being usable to move the specimen;

wherein said motion stages, in response to said output commands, are operative to move said specimen relative to said first field of view according to said input user commands; and

wherein the controller is operative to detect the motion of the user input commands on the touch screen user interface and then to direct the motion stages to move the specimen with respect to the field of view of the camera, thereby changing the image being displayed on the touch screen user interface.

16. A method for controlling a laser processing system for processing a specimen comprising:

providing a controller having input and output commands;

providing a first camera having a first field of view operatively connected to said controller;

providing a touch screen user interface operative to input user commands and operatively connected to said controller;

providing motion stages configured to hold said specimen within said first field of view and operatively connected to said controller;

inputting user commands from said touch screen user interface and communicating said input user commands to said controller as said input commands, the user input commands comprise touching the touch screen user interface;

transforming said input commands with said controller into said output commands and communicating said output commands to said motion stages; and

operably connecting a second camera to said controller for imaging a second field of view which is smaller than said first field of view;

using the second camera to view the specimen;

using the first camera to move the specimen;

wherein said motion stages, in response to said output commands, alter the relationship between said first field of view and the specimen according to said input user commands and thereby control said laser processing system;

wherein the transforming comprises:

detecting the motion of the user touch input commands on the touch screen user interface; and then

directing the motion stages to move the specimen with respect to the field of view of the camera, thereby changing the image being viewed on the touch screen user interface.