Evident Unveils Pramana POD Benchtop Scanner for Small and Mid-Sized Labs

A benchtop scanner for smaller labs

Evident said the Pramana POD is a new benchtop system designed to help laboratories produce trusted images. The scanner was unveiled at Pathology Visions 2026, and the announcement is dated Oct. 16, 2026, from Needham, Massachusetts.

The company framed the product around a common pressure point. Pathology laboratories are expanding digital workflows while case volumes and operational demands increase. In that setting, Evident says, labs need scanning systems that produce consistent, high-quality images across specimen types and fit into existing laboratory workflows. The Pramana POD is meant to meet those needs by bringing proven Pramana autonomous WSI technology to smaller labs.

How the scanner works

According to Evident, the Pramana POD automates imaging through several functions:

• An advanced tissue finder
• Extensive label detection
• Automated focal plane and scan-profile selection

Built-in image-quality assessment is intended to help deliver pathologist-ready whole slide images and to identify scans that may need further review. The scanner also uses volumetric imaging, which captures multiple focal planes so that sharp focal information can be selected across the scanned area. Evident states that it offers true 40X imaging at 25 slides per hour under defined conditions, and notes that performance varies by specimen type and workflow.

The Pramana series of autonomous WSI scanners is described as well-suited for most brightfield imaging applications, including histopathology, core biopsies, hematology, cytology, and microbiology.

Quality assurance built into scanning

Prasanth Perugupalli, Vice President of Digital Pathology at Evident, said Pramana WSI technology has received "tremendous acceptance from pathology labs across academic medical centers and network labs across the United States." He added that by incorporating quality assurance into the imaging process, the technology "can help labs of varying sizes reduce the need for post-scan QA and the associated costs and delays."

Perugupalli also pointed to the pace of change in laboratories: "Scientific advances move quickly, but laboratory infrastructure changes slowly." With the Pramana POD, he said, small and medium-sized labs "can build as their needs evolve."

What it means for labs, and the regulatory caveat

For smaller laboratories, the release positions the Pramana POD as a way to move into digital pathology without a larger-scale scanning setup, using the same autonomous approach already adopted by larger academic and network labs, according to Evident. The emphasis on built-in quality checks is aimed at cutting the time and cost of reviewing scans after they are made.

Buyers should note the regulatory language in the announcement. The product is labeled for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures. Evident says future clinical availability is subject to applicable regulatory authorization, and that regulatory status and availability may vary by country. The release does not give pricing or a shipping date. More information is available on the product page at evidentscientific.com/products/slide-scanners/pramana-pod.

Evident, headquartered in Tokyo, says it was known as Olympus for over 100 years and now offers imaging solutions across life science and industrial microscopy.