Microscope system having touch panel and electronic stage driving amount based on pressure detection

A microscope system comprising:

• a microscope provided with a plurality of electronic units and configured to drive each of the electronic units to observe a specimen;
• a display configured to display operation information for driving each of the electronic units;
• a touch panel superimposed on a display area of the display and configured to detect a position of contact of an object from outside and receive an input of a position signal corresponding to the position of contact;
• a setting unit configured to set areas corresponding respectively to multiple operation functions for driving the electronic units in an allocated manner in a detection area of the touch panel;
• a pressure detector provided between the display and the touch panel and configured to detect a pressure value of a pressure applied in the position of contact when the object contacts the touch panel, the pressure value detected by the pressure detector identifying one of at least three statuses;
• and
• a drive controller configured to:
• generate, based on the position of contact that is detected by the touch panel, a number of positions of contact, a change of the position of contact over time, and the pressure value detected by the pressure detector, an instruction signal of an instruction to change an observation status in which the specimen is observed with an electronic unit, from among the plurality of electronic units, corresponding to an operation function that is set by the setting unit;
• and
• output the instruction signal to the microscope,
• wherein the plurality of electronic units include an electronic stage including:
• a stage on which the specimen is placed, the stage being configured to move in at least a direction parallel to a surface on which the microscope is placed;
• and
• a driver configured to cause the stage to move in the direction parallel to the surface, and
• wherein when the position of contact changes over time, the drive controller is configured to:
• determine a driving amount of the electronic stage and a direction in which the electronic stage is moved, based on a track of the position of contact which changes over time and the pressure value detected by the pressure detector, the driving amount being one of two or more non-zero values corresponding respectively to two of the at least three statuses;
• and
• output the driving amount and the direction as the instruction signal to the microscope.