Yes. Aura analysis software is 100% license free for all – available for Mac & PC.

In addition to the manual (which can be found under Help in the main menu), our learning center has several video tutorials and tech notes to help you get started. You can also request a free, remote training here: spectralinvivo.com/contact-us/

Yes. Aura can import Living Image files directly. To do this, click File → Image Manager, select the desired file, and click Load. Your images will appear in Aura for processing and quantification. Follow this link for a video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvDJO-ps1AQ&feature=youtu.be

Yes. All Spectral Instruments Imaging systems use Aura software, ensuring a consistent user experience across platforms. Data acquired on any system can be analyzed, processed, and compared within the same workspace or via our license free analysis software.

Yes. Every Spectral Instruments Imaging system is absolutely calibrated to the same NIST-traceable photon standard, so datasets can be directly compared between instruments, even across facilities or collaborators. This consistency ensures reproducible, quantitative measurements and is a key advantage for collaborative or multi-site studies. In addition, because of this absolute calibration, data from Spectral systems can also be compared to other absolutely calibrated platforms, such as IVIS™, enabling broader cross-platform analysis.

Select the ROI tool from the Toolbox and draw shapes around areas of interest. ROIs can be adjusted, copied, or applied across multiple images for consistent measurements. For BLI, use Total Emission (Photons/Second) to quantify signal within the ROI. For fluorescence, use Total Efficiency (cm²). For a step-by-step guide, watch this short tutorial on ROI analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaASXN8aRTQ

Yes. Aura enables side-by-side comparison of images and quantitative data. To do this, launch Aura, go to File → Image Manager, select multiple .amix files, and click Load.

In Aura, you can save images by clicking on File → Save Graphics, selecting the file type you prefer (PNG, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, or PPM), and then clicking Save. This allows you to export high quality images suitable for presentations, manuscripts, or reports.

In most cases, you can start with Easy Mode, which automatically determines the optimal acquisition settings for your image. This mode balances sensitivity and dynamic range, helping you capture high quality data.

If you wish to use manual mode for bioluminescence imaging (BLI), you can fine tune the exposure time, binning, and f-stop as needed, taking care to avoid saturation. If you receive a message about overexposed pixels, reduce the exposure time, binning level or close the f-stop slightly.

If you wish to use manual mode for fluorescence imaging (FLI), you should first adjust the excitation and emission filter selection as well as the LED% power. Optimize these settings along with exposure time, binning and f-stop to maximize signal-to-background ratio.

No. Because Spectral Instruments Imaging systems are absolutely calibrated, all total emission and total efficiency measurements are independent of camera settings, making normalization unnecessary.

Absolute calibration allows quantitative photon-based measurements (photons/sec) that are independent of acquisition parameters. This ensures reproducibility of published data, making figures and datasets traceable and comparable between studies; something often missing in systems relying on arbitrary “intensity units.”

Start with short exposure times 10-15 seconds and adjust as needed. If signals are strong, reduce exposure to prevent saturation; if weak, increase exposure and/or use binning to enhance sensitivity. You can also use Smart AutoExposure, enabled in Aura’s Easy Mode.

Check for overexposed pixels in Aura’s Overexposed Pixel Map (under Image Type) and reduce: exposure time, LED excitation power percentage, or binning levels. Adjust excitation and emission filter sets to improve signal-to-noise.

Use Radiance as the measurement unit and report your BLI data in Total Emission (photons/second).
Even if the exposure time or other camera parameters (e.g., binning, f/stop) vary between acquisitions, you’ll still be able to directly compare your Total Emission values across different time points. This is because all Spectral Instruments Imaging systems are absolutely calibrated.