A computer system identifying bacteria by monitoring colony forming process

A measuring and data processing system is made up by using microcomputer set (PC-8001), TV camera combined with microscope, and digital memory (DM 301) as A/D transducer. The optical source condition is discussed for observing stereo-type microscopical pictures. The colony forming process is examined by the system to get characteristic parameters of bacteria. The examined bacteria are typical nine coliform ones isolated from clinical sample. The culture medium is Brain Heart Infusion ager plate. As characteristic parameters, we propose the time course of colony area and volume which are automatically estimated from the digital pictures. The identification of nine bacteria is tried by using these parameters, and gives good result.