Loci is a free, open-source desktop workspace for scientific images. View microscopy and 3D data, count cells, annotate, measure and export traceable results without a cloud account or subscription. Use built-in analysis or bring compatible model packages. Built by a researcher and shaped by real lab workflows. Currently public beta for Apple Silicon Macs; research use only.
Hi everyone! I’m Sid, a biomedical researcher based in Singapore.
Loci started out as a small project to help a startup here with its cell-counting workflow. The budget was limited, and buying additional imaging equipment or an expensive analysis package wasn’t a realistic option. The aim was much simpler: make better use of the images and equipment they already had, with a repeatable workflow they could inspect and reuse.
That small project made me think about a broader problem. A lab may need only a few specific analysis tools, but still face a large purchase, a complicated setup, or a workflow spread across several applications. My goal with Loci is to make useful scientific image-analysis tools accessible regardless of a lab’s budget.
It brings multichannel image viewing, cell counting, annotations, measurements, 3D exploration, and much more into one local desktop workspace. Needs no account or subscription. The source is open to inspect, modify and extend, and researchers can use built-in methods or bring compatible models through supported Cellpose checkpoints and ONNX packages.
I use Loci in my own research, and I’m testing and currently refining it with researchers in Singapore across skin research, 3D imaging, cell-culture workflows and biomaterial studies. Real use keeps revealing what needs to be clearer, what is missing and what needs fixing. This helps me iterate and improve over time meaningfully.
Also, I’m a researcher and NOT a professional software dev. I bring the research questions and practical requirements, then test the changes against the work I actually need to do with an (obsessive) attention to detail. Codex does the rest 😅 (it does seem like you really can just build anything with OpenAI :D).
This is the first public beta currently available for Apple Silicon Macs. It's research software, with known installation and startup limitations documented on GitHub, and there is still PLENTY to improve.
I’d especially value feedback from researchers and image analysts. What image analysis task is harder, more expensive or more repetitive than it should be in your lab?
Thank you for taking a look! I hope Loci can become a useful contribution to the scientific tools our community shares :)
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About Loci on Product Hunt
“Open-source biomedical image analysis for every lab”
Loci launched on Product Hunt on September 18th, 2026 and earned 60 upvotes and 1 comments, placing #55 on the daily leaderboard. Loci is a free, open-source desktop workspace for scientific images. View microscopy and 3D data, count cells, annotate, measure and export traceable results without a cloud account or subscription. Use built-in analysis or bring compatible model packages. Built by a researcher and shaped by real lab workflows. Currently public beta for Apple Silicon Macs; research use only.
Loci was featured in Open Source (68.9k followers), Artificial Intelligence (479.1k followers), GitHub (41.4k followers), Science (1.4k followers) and OpenAI Day (39 followers) on Product Hunt. Together, these topics include over 169.9k products, making this a competitive space to launch in.
Who hunted Loci?
Loci was hunted by Siddharth K Nagaraj. A “hunter” on Product Hunt is the community member who submits a product to the platform — uploading the images, the link, and tagging the makers behind it. Hunters typically write the first comment explaining why a product is worth attention, and their followers are notified the moment they post. Around 79% of featured launches on Product Hunt are self-hunted by their makers, but a well-known hunter still acts as a signal of quality to the rest of the community. See the full all-time top hunters leaderboard to discover who is shaping the Product Hunt ecosystem.
Want to see how Loci stacked up against nearby launches in real time? Check out the live launch dashboard for upvote speed charts, proximity comparisons, and more analytics.
Siddharth K Nagaraj
Hi everyone! I’m Sid, a biomedical researcher based in Singapore.
Loci started out as a small project to help a startup here with its cell-counting workflow. The budget was limited, and buying additional imaging equipment or an expensive analysis package wasn’t a realistic option. The aim was much simpler: make better use of the images and equipment they already had, with a repeatable workflow they could inspect and reuse.
That small project made me think about a broader problem. A lab may need only a few specific analysis tools, but still face a large purchase, a complicated setup, or a workflow spread across several applications.
My goal with Loci is to make useful scientific image-analysis tools accessible regardless of a lab’s budget.
It brings multichannel image viewing, cell counting, annotations, measurements, 3D exploration, and much more into one local desktop workspace. Needs no account or subscription. The source is open to inspect, modify and extend, and researchers can use built-in methods or bring compatible models through supported Cellpose checkpoints and ONNX packages.
I use Loci in my own research, and I’m testing and currently refining it with researchers in Singapore across skin research, 3D imaging, cell-culture workflows and biomaterial studies. Real use keeps revealing what needs to be clearer, what is missing and what needs fixing. This helps me iterate and improve over time meaningfully.
Also, I’m a researcher and NOT a professional software dev. I bring the research questions and practical requirements, then test the changes against the work I actually need to do with an (obsessive) attention to detail. Codex does the rest 😅 (it does seem like you really can just build anything with OpenAI :D).
This is the first public beta currently available for Apple Silicon Macs. It's research software, with known installation and startup limitations documented on GitHub, and there is still PLENTY to improve.
I’d especially value feedback from researchers and image analysts. What image analysis task is harder, more expensive or more repetitive than it should be in your lab?
Thank you for taking a look! I hope Loci can become a useful contribution to the scientific tools our community shares :)