Four imaging companies have formed the Microimaging Applications Group. The partners —Photometrics, Gatan Inc., Media Cybernetics Inc. and QImaging Corp. — all operate within the Scientific & Industrial Imaging business of Roper Industries Inc. Each will continue to work independently while collaborating on innovative solutions for microimaging applications.The group will serve the life sciences, materials sciences and industrial imaging markets by offering hardware such as cameras and electron microscopes, as well as optics and application-ready software. These can be combined as solutions for applications ranging from particle sizing to light and electron energy loss spectroscopy.Photometrics, based in Tucson, Ariz., designs and manufactures quantitative CCD and electron-multiplying CCD cameras for the life sciences. Gatan, of Pleasanton, Calif., specializes in instrumentation and software that extends the use of electron and x-ray microscopy systems. Media Cybernetics, of Bethesda, Md., develops software that helps capture, analyze, display and manage images.QImaging, based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, engineers and builds FireWire and USB 2.0 cameras for life sciences and industrial imaging applications.The group has developed a brand name, MAG Biosystems, that will be applied to the integrated system solutions for life sciences experiments, such as fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and spectral imaging.Collectively, the companies have offices worldwide. The group provides imaging solutions, service and support for OEMs as well as for researchers.