Culture method, culture system, and device for introducing active species

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a culture method or the like capable of performing culture properly . SOLUTION: One aspect of the present invention provides a culture method comprising a detection step and an introduction step. In the detection step, one or more feature values are detected from a culture target and / or a culture medium in which a culture target is cultured. Here, the culture target includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells. In the introduction step, an active species is introduced into the culture medium. Here, the active species includes one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species. In the introduction step, the mode of introduction of the active species is controlled based on the one or more feature values detected.

Description

Cultivation method, culture system, and active species introduction device

[0001] The present invention relates to a culture method, a culture system, and an apparatus for introducing an active species.

[0002] In recent years, techniques for efficiently cultivating microorganisms such as microalgae have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of irradiating the inside of a bioreactor with ionizing radiation to stimulate biomass growth.

[0003] U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021 / 0380964

[0004] However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses ionizing radiation, which raises concerns about the risk of radiation exposure during use. In addition, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires special protective measures when using ionizing radiation, which is thought to pose a high barrier to introducing the equipment.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a culture method and the like that allows for proper culture.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a culture method comprising a detection step and an introduction step, wherein in the detection step, one or more feature quantities are detected from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells; in the introduction step, active species are introduced into the culture medium, wherein the active species include one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species; and in the introduction step, the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on the detected one or more feature quantities.

[0007] According to the above aspect, a culture method and the like that can perform culture appropriately are provided.

[0008] It is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the culture system 100. It is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 3. It is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the information processing device 3. It is a flow diagram showing the flow of the culture method of the present embodiment.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Note that various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0010] That is, the culture method of this embodiment is as follows: A culture method comprising a detection step and an introduction step, wherein in the detection step, one or more feature amounts are detected from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells, and in the introduction step, active species are introduced into the culture medium, wherein the active species include one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, and in the introduction step, the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on the one or more detected feature amounts.

[0011] Incidentally, a program for realizing the software appearing in one embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or may be provided so that the program is started on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0012] Furthermore, various information processing according to an embodiment may realize input and output corresponding to the input. Here, the form of information referenced in such information processing (hereinafter referred to as reference information) is not limited as long as an output is obtained as a result of the input. The reference information may be, for example, rule-based information such as a database, a lookup table, or a predetermined function (including a decision formula such as a regression formula constructed using a statistical method), a trained model that has previously trained the correlation between input and output, or a large-scale language model that can output a desired result by inputting a prompt.

[0013] In one embodiment, the term "unit" may include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In one embodiment, various information is handled, and this information is represented, for example, by physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltage or current, high or low signal values ​​as a binary bit set consisting of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and calculations can be performed on the circuit in the broad sense.

[0014] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by at least an appropriate combination of a circuit, circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. The processor may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit. That is, it includes application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (e.g., simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), etc.

[0015] 1. Hardware Configuration The above-described culture method is typically performed by a culture system equipped with a detection unit and an introduction unit. Specifically, the culture method of this embodiment is performed by a device or apparatus provided in the culture system performing predetermined control (information processing). In this section, the hardware configuration of a culture system 100 including such a control mechanism will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the culture system 100.

[0016] The culture system 100 of this embodiment is a system used for culturing a predetermined culture target. While not necessarily limited to the following aspects, the culture system 100 of this embodiment includes a first culture vessel 1, a second culture vessel 2, an information processing device 3, a sensor 4, an active species introduction unit 5, a gas introduction unit 6, and a light irradiation unit 7. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the information processing device 3 is connected to the sensor 4, the active species introduction unit 5, the gas introduction unit 6, the light irradiation unit 7, and the like via a communication line. Note that the communication line here includes the Internet, wireless communication, and the like, and mediates the exchange of data between devices connected to the line. Note that, in this specification, the system exemplified as the culture system 100 is composed of one or more devices or components. Therefore, even the information processing device 3 alone is an example of a system, and a system including various culture vessels, the sensor 4, the active species introduction unit 5, and the like may also be referred to as a system. Below, we will continue to explain each component that can constitute the culture system 100.

[0017] [Culture Vessels (First Culture Vessel 1, Second Culture Vessel 2)] In a typical embodiment, the culture system 100 is provided with a container for containing a culture medium. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , a first culture vessel 1 and a second culture vessel 2 are provided, and a culture medium circulates within these vessels. Specifically, in the first culture vessel 1, a liquid culture medium flows from bottom to top, transferring the culture medium from the top of the first culture vessel 1 to the top of the second culture vessel 2, flowing from the top to the bottom of the second culture vessel 2, and transferring the culture medium from the bottom of the second culture vessel 2 to the bottom of the first culture vessel 1. Note that a predetermined flow path may be provided between the first culture vessel 1 and the second culture vessel 2, allowing the culture medium to move between them. Such flow (circulation) of the culture medium may be achieved by a liquid delivery mechanism (e.g., a pump) not shown. In addition, although the present specification describes the culture medium used in the culture system 100 as being liquid (liquid culture medium), a solid culture medium (solid culture medium) may also be used within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, although the culture system 100 using multiple culture vessels is shown in Figure 1, it is also possible to configure the culture system 100 using only a single culture vessel.

[0018] The object to be cultured (culture object) in the culture system 100 of this embodiment includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells. These microorganisms and cells can be appropriately selected from objects that require culture. In an exemplary aspect, the object to be cultured in the culture system 100 of this embodiment is microalgae. Note that "microalgae" refers to algae that exist in water such as freshwater or seawater, and examples thereof include algae whose individual sizes are mainly 1 μm to 50 μm. The type of microalgae is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include Cyanobacteria (e.g., Nostocales, Oscillationematales), Polytrichomeophyceae (e.g., Garderia genus), Euonymus (e.g., Nannochloropsis genus), Mammialeophyceae (e.g., Mammiales, Monomastychales, Dolichomasticales), Nephroselmiphyceae (e.g., Nephroselmiplastida), Pedinophyceae (e.g., Pedinomonadales), Chlorodendronphyceae (e.g., Chlorodendronales), Trebouxiophyceae (e.g., Chlorellales, Microtamnionales, Trebouxiales, Porphyrales), Ulva algae (e.g., Cladophorales, Kalancholiales), and the like. Examples include the order of ...

[0019] Additionally, the culture target in the culture system 100 of this embodiment may be a microorganism other than the microalgae described above. Examples of microorganisms other than microalgae include prokaryotic bacteria (e.g., gram-positive bacteria (e.g., lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, etc.), gram-negative bacteria (e.g., acetic acid bacteria, xanthomonas bacteria, Escherichia coli, etc.)), and eukaryotic fungi (e.g., yeast, koji mold, mold, etc.), but are not limited thereto. Various microorganisms that can be cultured by known culture techniques can also be cultured using the culture system 100. Furthermore, the culture target in the culture system 100 may be various types of cells isolated from various biological tissues. Furthermore, the culture system 100 of this embodiment may culture multiple types of microorganisms and / or cells.

[0020] 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 3. The information processing device 3 has a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, a control unit 33, a display unit 34, and an input unit 35, and is configured by electrically connecting each of these units via a communication bus 30. Each unit provided in the information processing device 3 will be described below.

[0021] (Communication Unit 31) The communication unit 31 is configured to be able to transmit various electrical signals from the information processing device 3 to external components. The communication unit 31 is also configured to be able to receive various electrical signals from the external components to the information processing device 3. Note that the communication unit 31 may have a network communication function, which allows various pieces of information to be communicated between the information processing device 3 and external devices via a communication line.

[0022] (Storage Unit 32) The storage unit 32 stores various pieces of information defined above. This can be implemented, for example, as a storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various programs and the like related to the information processing device 3 executed by the control unit 33, or as a memory such as a random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily required information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to program calculations. The storage unit 32 stores various programs, variables, etc. related to the information processing device 3 executed by the control unit 33.

[0023] (Control Unit 33) The control unit 33 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) not shown. The control unit 33 realizes various functions related to the information processing device 3 by reading out predetermined programs stored in the storage unit 32. In other words, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 32 is specifically realized by the control unit 33, which is an example of hardware, and can be executed as each functional unit included in the control unit 33. These will be described in further detail in the next section. Note that the control unit 33 is not limited to being a single unit, and multiple control units 33 may be provided for each function. A combination of these may also be used.

[0024] (Display Unit 34) The display unit 34 may be, for example, included in the housing of the information processing device 3 or may be externally attached. The display unit 34 displays a graphical user interface (GUI) screen that can be operated by the user. This is preferably implemented by selectively using display devices such as a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, and a plasma display depending on the type of the information processing device 3.

[0025] (Input Unit 35) The input unit 35 may be included in the housing of the information processing device 3 or may be externally attached. For example, the input unit 35 may be implemented as a touch panel integrated with the display unit 34. The touch panel allows the user to input tapping, swiping, and the like. Of course, switch buttons, a mouse, a QWERTY keyboard, and the like may be used instead of the touch panel. That is, the input unit 35 accepts operation inputs made by the user. The inputs are transferred as command signals to the control unit 33 via the communication bus 30, and the control unit 33 can execute predetermined control and calculations as necessary.

[0026] [Sensor 4] The sensor 4 is a device that detects one or more characteristic quantities from the culture target and / or the culture medium in which the culture target is cultured. From this perspective, the sensor 4 is positioned as a typical example of a "detection unit" in this specification. The type of the sensor 4 may be appropriately set depending on the content of the parameter to be measured. When detecting a characteristic quantity from the culture target, the sensor 4 may be a device that measures the size, shape, color (e.g., color measured by a color difference meter), metabolic behavior, activity of the culture target (microalgae, etc.). Here, the activity of the culture target may be, for example, proliferation activity. When detecting a characteristic quantity from the culture medium, the sensor 4 may be a pH meter, an electrical conductivity meter, an ammeter, a potentiometer such as an oxidation-reduction potentiometer or a zeta potential system, a turbidity meter, a thermometer, a COD meter, an absorptiometer, a camera, a dissolved oxygen meter, a CO ２ The sensor 4 may be a concentration meter or the like. The sensor 4 may also be a sensor that can detect and digitize qualitative data. Even with such qualitative data, the introduction mode of the active species can be optimized by applying a machine learning method.

[0027] [Active species introduction section 5] The active species introduction section 5 is configured to introduce active species into the culture medium. From this perspective, the active species introduction section 5 is positioned as a typical example of an "introduction section" in this specification. Here, the active species includes one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species. Here, the active oxygen species are chemical species known as ROS (reactive oxygen species). Typical examples of active oxygen species include singlet oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, superoxide, etc. The active nitrogen species are chemical species also known as RNS (reactive nitrogen species). Typical examples of active nitrogen species include nitric oxide, peroxynitride, etc. The active carbon species are chemical species also known as RCS (reactive carbonyl species). Typical examples of activated carbon species include CO ２ Radical anion (CO ２ ・－), carbon monoxide, acrolein, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA), etc. The active species introduced in the culture system 100 may be any of the above-mentioned active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, but are typically a mixture of these. That is, a mixture of active oxygen species and active nitrogen species, such as those known as RONS, may be used as the active species introduced by the active species introduction unit 5. In the culture system 100 of this embodiment, the active species introduction unit 5 (introduction unit) is characterized in that the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on one or more detected characteristic quantities. In other words, the active species introduction unit 5 of this embodiment is an active species introduction device used in the culture method of this embodiment, and the introduction mode of the active species is controlled, or can be connected to be controlled, based on one or more detected characteristic quantities. More specific introduction modes will be described later.

[0028] [Gas Inlet Unit 6] The gas inlet unit 6 is configured to introduce a predetermined gas into the culture vessel (e.g., the second culture vessel 2). This gas inlet unit 6 is typically a mechanism for introducing a gas containing carbon dioxide into the culture vessel. Although not necessarily limited thereto, in the culture system 100 of this embodiment, the gas inlet unit 6 is disposed upstream of the position where the active species inlet unit 5 introduces active species. When the active species inlet unit 5 generates active species in the culture medium using an electrical technique as described below, the above-described positional relationship provides the advantage of efficiently converting the gas introduced from the gas inlet unit 6 into active species. Note that, although the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the gas inlet unit 6 is controlled by the information processing device 3, the operation of the gas inlet unit 6 may be controlled by a control device other than the information processing device 3.

[0029] [Light Irradiation Unit 7] The light irradiation unit 7 is configured to irradiate light into the culture vessel (e.g., the first culture vessel 1). Irradiating light in this manner can promote the cultivation of the culture object. As described above, the culture object may be microalgae, and in this case, the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 enables the microalgae to perform photosynthesis. Note that, although the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the light irradiation unit 7 is controlled by the information processing device 3, the operation of the light irradiation unit 7 may be controlled by a control device other than the information processing device 3.

[0030] 2. Functional Configuration This section describes the functional configuration of this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the information processing device 3. As described above, information processing by software (stored in the storage unit 32) is specifically realized by hardware (control unit 33), and can be executed as each functional unit included in the control unit 33.

[0031] Specifically, the information processing device 3 (control unit 33) may include, as its functional units, a feature acquisition unit 331, an external information reception unit 332, a device control unit 333, an introduction condition extraction unit 334, a display control unit 335, and a memory management unit 336. Note that these functional units may be increased, omitted, or integrated as appropriate depending on the application to which the information processing device 3 is applied.

[0032] (Feature Acquisition Unit 331) The feature acquisition unit 331 is configured to be able to execute a feature acquisition step. In the feature acquisition step, the feature acquisition unit 331 acquires one or more feature amounts from the culture target and / or the culture medium in which the culture target is cultured, detected by the detection unit (sensor 4) in the culture system 100. This acquisition is typically performed by acquiring the feature amounts detected by the detection unit (sensor 4) via a communication line.

[0033] (External Information Receiving Unit 332) The external information receiving unit 332 is configured to be able to execute an external information receiving step. In the external information receiving step, the external information receiving unit 332 receives input external information. Details of the external information will be described later.

[0034] (Device Control Unit 333) The device control unit 333 is configured to be able to execute a device control step. In the device control step, the device control unit 333 is configured to control devices (typically devices other than the information processing device 3) involved in the culture system 100. In this embodiment, the device control unit 333 controls the active species introduction unit 5 under predetermined control conditions. Note that the device control unit 333 may be configured to introduce active species into the culture medium based on the active species introduction conditions extracted in the introduction condition extraction step described below. Furthermore, although not necessarily limited to this, the device control unit 333 can also control the operations of the gas introduction unit 6, the light irradiation unit 7, etc.

[0035] (Introduction condition extraction unit 334) The introduction condition extraction unit 334 is configured to be able to execute an introduction condition extraction step. In the introduction condition extraction step, the introduction condition extraction unit 334 extracts an introduction condition for the active species based on one or more feature quantities detected by the sensor 4 or the like and predetermined reference information. Note that the predetermined reference information here is information in which at least one or more feature quantities and the introduction condition for the active species are associated with each other. More specific aspects will be described later.

[0036] (Display control unit 335) The display control unit 335 is configured to be able to execute a display control process. In the display control process, the display control unit 335 generates various display information and displays it on a predetermined medium. Note that the display information may be visual information itself, such as a screen, an image, an icon, or text, that is generated in a manner that is visible to the user, or may be rendering information for displaying visual information, such as a screen, an image, an icon, or text, on various devices or terminals.

[0037] (Memory management unit 336) The memory management unit 336 is configured to be able to execute a memory management process. In the memory management process, the memory management unit 336 is configured to manage various pieces of information to be stored that are related to the culture system 100 of this embodiment. Typically, the memory management unit 336 is configured to store information handled by the information processing device 3 in a memory area. This memory area is exemplified by the memory unit 32 of the information processing device 3 or the memory units of various devices and terminals, but this memory area does not necessarily have to be within the culture system 100, and the memory management unit 336 can also manage various pieces of information to be stored in an external storage device or the like.

[0038] 3. Details of the Culture Method In Section 3, a culture method that can be implemented in the culture system 100 will be described with reference to flow diagrams, etc. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing the flow of the culture method of this embodiment.

[0039] 4, in this embodiment, first, as a detection step, one or more feature quantities are detected from the culture target and / or the culture medium in which the culture target is cultured (step S001). Typically, the detection of the feature quantities is achieved by the sensor 4 provided in the culture system 100 detecting feature quantities related to the culture target and / or the culture medium.

[0040] In one aspect of this embodiment, the one or more feature amounts may include feature amounts related to the state of the culture target. That is, in this case, the sensor 4 is configured to be able to detect the state of the culture target according to known technology. For example, the sensor 4 detects the metabolic behavior or activity of the culture target (e.g., microalgae).

[0041] In one aspect of this embodiment, the one or more feature quantities may include a feature quantity relating to the amount of a component in the culture medium. That is, in this case, the sensor 4 is configured to be able to detect the amount of a predetermined component in the culture medium according to known technology. The type of predetermined component here can be set arbitrarily. That is, the amount of any organic substance or any inorganic substance contained in the culture medium may be the detection target, and the detected amount (value) may be set as the one or more feature quantities described above. As an example, the arbitrary organic substance may be a predetermined sugar or a predetermined amino acid. As another example, the arbitrary inorganic substance may be oxygen (O ２ ) and a predetermined metal or metal ion. The predetermined component to be detected in the medium may be a part or all of the above-mentioned active species.

[0042] In addition, the one or more characteristic quantities may include pH, electrical conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential, turbidity, temperature, COD, absorbance, zeta potential, etc. In other words, the type of sensor 4 may be set appropriately depending on the characteristic quantity to be detected.

[0043] [Introduction Step] After detecting one or more feature quantities in this manner, the introduction step involves introducing active species into the culture medium (step S002). As described above, the active species introduced in the introduction step include one or more species selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species. Furthermore, in the introduction step, the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on the detected one or more feature quantities.

[0044] As will be described in detail later, in one example of the introduction step of this embodiment, the amount of active species introduced may be adjusted. In such a case, the amount of the introduced active species can be evaluated (measured) as follows. That is, if an electrical method is used in the introduction step, the amount of the introduced active species may be evaluated based on the output amount of the electrical method. Furthermore, if a predetermined agent (oxidizing agent, reducing agent, etc.) is added in the introduction step, the amount of the introduced active species may be evaluated based on the amount of the predetermined agent added. On the other hand, methods for measuring the amount of the introduced active species include, for example, methods for measuring (quantifying) the amount of active species using an ozone measuring device such as a semiconductor thin film type or a controlled potential electrolysis type, or a peroxide measuring device such as an IR type or a fluorescent type. That is, the introduction step of this embodiment also encompasses a mode in which the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on quantitative data measured by various devices. Note that adding an indicator necessary for such quantitative measurement may also be included as part of the method for measuring the amount of active species.

[0045] In a typical embodiment, one or more feature amounts detected by the sensor 4 are acquired by the feature amount acquisition unit 331 of the information processing device 3. That is, the one or more feature amounts detected by the sensor 4 are transmitted to the information processing device 3 via a communication circuit. This also enables the information processing device 3 to perform predetermined arithmetic processing. In a typical embodiment, the device control unit 333 of the information processing device 3 controls the active species introduction unit 5 based on the result of this arithmetic processing, and introduces the active species into the culture medium.

[0046] To describe this calculation in more detail, the introduction condition extraction unit 334 of the information processing device 3 extracts the introduction conditions for the active species based on one or more feature quantities detected by the sensor 4 or the like and predetermined reference information. The predetermined reference information here is information in which at least one or more feature quantities are associated with the introduction conditions for the active species. The device control unit 333 then introduces the active species into the culture medium based on the introduction conditions for the active species extracted in the introduction condition extraction step. The predetermined reference information can be appropriately selected from among information that corresponds to the above-mentioned definition of "reference information." Furthermore, when associating the one or more feature quantities with the introduction conditions for the active species, the introduction conditions for the active species are typically associated with one or more feature quantities so as to achieve conditions that optimize the culture of the culture target.

[0047] The manner in which the active species is introduced into the medium in the introduction step may be controlled in various ways, for example, as follows.

[0048] That is, in one aspect of this embodiment, the introduction step introduces the active species into the culture medium by generating the active species in the culture medium. That is, an example of an aspect is that, from a state in which the active species are present in the culture medium (inside the first culture vessel 1 or the second culture vessel 2) in a small amount, a predetermined process is performed to generate (increase) the active species present in the culture medium.

[0049] The generation of these active species can be achieved by various methods. One example is to generate active species in the culture medium using an electrical technique. Specifically, an example is to subject components present in the culture vessel (e.g., components contained in the culture medium) to electrical treatment, thereby causing a chemical change in the component and generating active species. While various electrical techniques are possible, a typical example is a technique in which active species are generated in the gas or liquid phase between electrodes using an apparatus configured to apply a potential difference between electrodes. Specifically, examples of electrical techniques include plasma treatment, corona treatment, or discharge treatment that generates ozone. In other words, in one aspect of the introduction step of the culture method of this embodiment, the irradiation mode or discharge mode in the plasma treatment, corona treatment, or discharge treatment is controlled based on one or more detected characteristic quantities. In a more specific aspect, the active species introduction unit 5 is a plasma irradiation device, corona irradiation device, or device that generates silent discharge. The irradiation mode (irradiation dose, irradiation timing, etc.) and discharge mode (discharge dose, discharge timing, etc.) of the culture medium in the culture vessel are controlled based on the above-described active species introduction conditions. The control of the irradiation or discharge mode described above may also include controlling the target of irradiation or discharge (the gas phase or liquid phase between the electrodes). That is, when the above-described irradiation treatment or discharge treatment (electrical treatment) is performed in the introduction step of this embodiment, the device control unit 333 may control the composition of the gas phase or liquid phase to which the treatment is performed. Assuming a typical embodiment of the culture system 100 in which a predetermined gas phase is disposed between the electrodes, this predetermined gas phase can be generated by mixing predetermined gases. That is, the culture system 100 may include one or more gas containers (not shown in FIG. 1 ), and each of the gas containers may include a valve whose degree of opening and closing is adjusted by a predetermined signal transmitted from the device control unit 333. Similarly, each of the gas containers may include a mechanism for adjusting the flow rate or velocity of the released gas by a predetermined signal transmitted from the device control unit 333.Examples of gases contained in the various gas containers include air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc., but are not limited thereto, and the operator of the culture system 100 may select any gas that can be handled. In this way, by adjusting the gas flow rate, etc., it is possible to adjust the composition of the gas phase disposed between the electrodes and adjust the composition of the active species after electrical treatment. As a result, the amount, proportion, and type of active species in the culture vessel (culture medium) are optimized. The same applies when a liquid phase is disposed between the electrodes, and the outflow rate from the vessel containing the components of the liquid phase can be controlled by the function of the device control unit 333.

[0050] Alternatively, the generation of active species may be achieved by adding one or more agents selected from the group consisting of oxidizing agents, potential oxidizing agents, reducing agents, and potential reducing agents to the culture medium, thereby generating active species in the culture medium. That is, an example of an embodiment is one in which components present in the culture vessel (e.g., components contained in the culture medium) are subjected to an oxidation or reduction treatment, thereby causing a chemical change in the component and generating active species. In a more specific embodiment, the active species introduction unit 5 is a device configured to introduce a predetermined agent into the culture vessel, and the amount, introduction rate, introduction position, introduction timing, etc. of the agent introduced into the culture medium in the culture vessel are controlled based on the above-described active species introduction conditions. As a result, the amount and proportion of active species in the culture vessel (culture medium) are optimized.

[0051] The number of electrons transferred when an oxidizing agent oxidizes an oxidizing target is not particularly limited. That is, the oxidizing agent may be either a one-electron oxidizing agent or a multi-electron oxidizing agent. The aforementioned ozone is also an example of such an oxidizing agent. That is, an embodiment in which ozone is generated by a method other than the electrical method described above and the ozone is allowed to act on a culture medium is also an example of the introduction step of this embodiment. Similarly to the oxidizing agent, the number of electrons transferred when a reducing agent reduces an oxidizing target is not particularly limited. That is, the aforementioned reducing agent may be either a one-electron reducing agent or a multi-electron reducing agent. Furthermore, the terms "potential oxidizing agent" and "potential reducing agent" refer to agents that function as oxidizing agents or reducing agents when subjected to predetermined conditions (such as heating conditions or light irradiation conditions). In the introduction step of the culture method of this embodiment, predetermined control may be performed to create conditions for such potential oxidizing agents or reductive oxidizing agents to function.

[0052] While the above describes an embodiment in which active species are generated based on components present in the culture medium, the introduction step may be performed as follows. That is, in the introduction step, the active species may be introduced into the culture medium by adding pre-prepared active species to the culture medium. Although not shown in detail in FIG. 1 , the culture system 100 of this embodiment may be provided with a container (active species storage container) different from the culture vessel in which the active species can be prepared in advance. In a specific embodiment, the active species introduction unit 5 is a device that transfers active species from the active species storage container into the culture vessel, and the transfer amount, transfer speed, transfer position, transfer timing, etc. of the active species to the culture medium in the culture vessel are controlled based on the above-mentioned active species introduction conditions. Note that, for example, the active species stored in the active species storage container are gaseous. Here, when the active species are introduced from the active species storage container into the culture vessel, the size (bubble size) of the introduced bubbles and the introduction position of the bubbles may be controlled. That is, when the active species are introduced as bubbles, the bubble size and introduction area of ​​the bubbles may be changed by the function of the device control unit 333. Furthermore, the introduced bubbles may be stirred within a certain range. The stirring speed and stirring time may also be controlled by the functions of the device control unit 333. As a result of such various controls, the amount, proportion, and uniformity of the active species in the culture vessel (culture medium) are optimized.

[0053] The above detection step and introduction step can provide a culture method or the like that allows for proper culture.

[0054] [Other Steps] As described above, the culture method of this embodiment introduces active species into the culture medium based on at least one or more detected feature quantities. Meanwhile, the following steps may be performed prior to the introduction of the active species. That is, in the input step of the culture method of this embodiment, one or more pieces of external information related to the culture environment may be input. Furthermore, in the introduction step of this embodiment, the mode of introduction of the active species may be controlled based on the one or more detected feature quantities and one or more pieces of external information.

[0055] That is, in this embodiment, the external information receiving unit 332 of the information processing device 3 receives one or more pieces of external information input in the input step. Here, the external information is related to the culture environment and can be appropriately selected from information about objects outside the culture vessel. For example, information such as the illuminance, weather, and temperature of the location where the culture vessel is located can be included. Furthermore, time, etc. can be used as external information. Note that the external information may be current information (at the time of input), or may be past or future information.

[0056] Such external information may be automatically input to the information processing device 3 from, for example, various devices and equipment related to the culture system 100. On the other hand, the external information may be manually input by an operator (user) involved in the culture system 100. As an example, the display control unit 335 of the information processing device 3 may be configured to display a screen on the display unit 34 that allows the operator (user) viewing such a screen to input external information, so that the external information receiving unit 332 receives various types of external information.

[0057] After the external information receiving unit 332 of the information processing device 3 receives the external information in this manner, the device control unit 333 controls the introduction mode of the active species introducing unit 5 based on the input external information in addition to one or more of the above-mentioned feature quantities. For example, since the behavior of the culture target may vary depending on the time, taking this into consideration, the introduction mode of the active species (the amount of the active species introduced, the introduction speed of the active species, the introduction position of the active species, the ratio of components constituting the active species, etc.) can be controlled to perform more appropriate culture.

[0058] 4. Modifications In Section 4, modifications of the above-described culture system 100 and culture method will be described.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the conditions for introducing the active species are extracted based on predetermined reference information. However, this predetermined reference information may be updated as the culture system 100 is operated. That is, the culture system 100 may acquire the results of introducing the active species in association with the culture results at that time, and may update the reference information based on the acquired results. This can further improve the accuracy of the introduction of the active species.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the information processing device 3 performs various storage and control operations, but multiple external devices may be used instead of the information processing device 3. That is, various types of information may be distributed and stored in multiple external devices using blockchain technology or the like.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the information processing device 3 performs a predetermined process, but an information processing method executed by the information processing device 3 may be provided, which includes a step of executing the process of each unit of the information processing device 3. Also, a program for causing a computer to execute the process of each unit of the information processing device 3 may be provided.

[0062] Furthermore, it may be provided in the following aspects.

[0063] (1) A culture method comprising a detection step and an introduction step, wherein in the detection step, one or more feature quantities are detected from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells, and in the introduction step, active species are introduced into the culture medium, wherein the active species include one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, and in the introduction step, an introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on the detected one or more feature quantities.

[0064] (2) The culture method according to (1) above, further comprising an input step, in which one or more pieces of external information relating to the culture environment are input, and in the introduction step, the mode of introduction of the active species is controlled based on the one or more detected feature amounts and the one or more pieces of external information that have been input.

[0065] (3) The culture method according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the introduction step introduces the active species into the culture medium by generating the active species in the culture medium.

[0066] (4) The culture method according to (3) above, wherein the introduction step generates the active species in the culture medium by using an electrical method.

[0067] (5) In the culture method described in (4) above, the electrical technique is a plasma treatment, a corona treatment, or a discharge treatment that generates ozone, and in the introduction step, the irradiation mode or the discharge mode in the plasma treatment, the corona treatment, or the discharge treatment is controlled based on the one or more detected characteristic amounts.

[0068] (6) In the culture method described in (3) above, in the introduction step, one or more agents selected from the group consisting of an oxidizing agent, a potential oxidizing agent, a reducing agent, and a potential reducing agent are added to the culture medium, thereby generating the active species in the culture medium.

[0069] (7) The culture method according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the introduction step includes adding a pre-prepared active species to the culture medium, thereby introducing the active species into the culture medium.

[0070] (8) The culture method according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the one or more features include a feature relating to the state of the culture object.

[0071] (9) The culture method according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the one or more feature amounts include feature amounts relating to the amounts of components in the culture medium.

[0072] (10) The culture method according to any one of (1) to (9) above, further comprising an introduction condition extraction step, in which an introduction condition for the active species is extracted based on the one or more detected feature quantities and predetermined reference information, wherein the predetermined reference information is information in which at least one or more feature quantities and an introduction condition for the active species are associated with each other, and in the introduction step, the active species is introduced into the culture medium based on the introduction condition for the active species extracted in the introduction condition extraction step.

[0073] (11) The culture method according to any one of (1) to (10) above, wherein the culture object is a microalgae.

[0074] (12) A culture system comprising a detection unit and an introduction unit, wherein the detection unit detects one or more characteristic quantities from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells, and the introduction unit introduces active species into the culture medium, wherein the active species includes one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, and the introduction unit controls the introduction mode of the active species based on the one or more detected characteristic quantities.

[0075] (13) An active species introduction device used in the culture method according to any one of (1) to (11) above, in which the introduction mode of the active species is controlled or can be connected to be controlled based on the one or more detected characteristic amounts. Of course, this is not limited to this.

[0076] Finally, while various embodiments of the present invention have been described, they are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such embodiments and modifications are intended to be included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

[0077] 1: First culture vessel 2: Second culture vessel 3: Information processing device 4: Sensor 5: Active species introduction unit 6: Gas introduction unit 7: Light irradiation unit 30: Communication bus 31: Communication unit 32: Memory unit 33: Control unit 34: Display unit 35: Input unit 100: Culture system 331: Feature amount acquisition unit 332: External information reception unit 333: Device control unit 334: Introduction condition extraction unit 335: Display control unit 336: Memory management unit

Claims

1. A culture method comprising a detection step and an introduction step, wherein in the detection step, one or more characteristic quantities are detected from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells, and in the introduction step, active species are introduced into the culture medium, wherein the active species include one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, and in the introduction step, the introduction mode of the active species is controlled based on the one or more detected characteristic quantities.

2. A culture method according to claim 1, further comprising an input step, wherein the input step inputs one or more pieces of external information relating to the culture environment, and the introduction step controls the mode of introduction of the active species based on the one or more detected feature quantities and the one or more pieces of external information that have been input.

3. A culture method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the introducing step, the active species is introduced into the culture medium by generating the active species in the culture medium.

4. A culture method according to claim 3, wherein the introduction step generates the active species in the culture medium by using an electrical method.

5. A culture method according to claim 4, wherein the electrical technique is a plasma treatment, a corona treatment, or a discharge treatment that generates ozone, and in the introducing step, the irradiation mode or discharge mode in the plasma treatment, the corona treatment, or the discharge treatment is controlled based on the one or more detected characteristic amounts.

6. A culture method according to claim 3, wherein the introduction step generates the active species in the culture medium by adding one or more agents selected from the group consisting of an oxidizing agent, a potential oxidizing agent, a reducing agent, and a potential reducing agent to the culture medium.

7. A culture method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the introducing step, a pre-prepared active species is added to the culture medium, thereby introducing the active species into the culture medium.

8. A culture method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the one or more feature amounts include a feature amount relating to the state of the culture object.

9. A culture method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the one or more feature amounts include feature amounts relating to the amounts of components in the culture medium.

10. A culture method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an introduction condition extraction step, wherein the introduction condition extraction step extracts the introduction condition for the active species based on the one or more detected feature quantities and predetermined reference information, wherein the predetermined reference information is information in which at least one or more feature quantities and the introduction condition for the active species are associated with each other, and wherein the introduction step introduces the active species into the culture medium based on the introduction condition for the active species extracted in the introduction condition extraction step.

11. The culture method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the culture object is microalgae.

12. A culture system comprising a detection unit and an introduction unit, wherein the detection unit detects one or more characteristic quantities from a culture object and / or a culture medium in which the culture object is cultured, wherein the culture object includes one or more selected from the group consisting of microorganisms and cells, and the introduction unit introduces active species into the culture medium, wherein the active species includes one or more selected from the group consisting of active oxygen species, active nitrogen species, and active carbon species, and the introduction unit controls the introduction mode of the active species based on the one or more detected characteristic quantities.

13. An active species introduction device used in the culture method described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the introduction mode of the active species is controlled or can be connected to be controlled based on the one or more detected characteristic amounts.

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