[jsolson]

> (whole-slide scanners are a bit expensive)

Huh... Why? It _seems_ like a problem with an easy (and cheap) solution, given how readily available (and cheap!) suitably precise cartesian bots are these days, combined with high-quality digital microscopes and the state of modern image alignment algorithms.

What am I missing here?

[dpeckett]

A lot of that cost comes from all the supporting hardware and certified software. Plus a lot of the machines have to be designed for high throughput applications.