Cell Observation System Light Control for Image Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cell observation systems that irradiate a culturing container with light from the side face suffer from unevenness and temporal variation in captured images due to variations in the amount of light reaching the culturing surface, primarily caused by light absorption by the culture medium and pH-induced color changes.
Innovation Solution
A cell observation system is designed with a placement part for the culturing container, a light emission unit that irradiates the culturing surface with controlled light, and an image capturing unit. The system includes features to control or correct light variations by adjusting the light emission and processing captured images to account for light absorption and pH-induced changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If light is irradiated from the side face of the culturing container, then the observation system can capture images of the culturing surface, but unevenness and temporal variation occur in the captured images due to light absorption by the medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the irradiation light to a range where the culture medium has minimal absorption (specifically 480-650nm, with optimal range 500-580nm). This parameter change eliminates the harmful light absorption effect while maintaining the ability to illuminate the culturing surface for observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reference pixel that copies the light absorption characteristics of the culture medium without containing cell information. By comparing the measurement pixel with the reference pixel, the system can calculate and remove the light absorption effect, thereby achieving uniform and consistent images.
2Device complexity
If conventional light sources are used for irradiation, then the system structure remains simple, but pH-induced color changes in the medium cause temporal variation in image characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a particular wavelength range (480-650nm, optimally 500-580nm) for the irradiation light where the pH indicator phenol red has minimal absorption difference between acidic and alkaline states. This parameter selection eliminates pH-induced temporal variation while maintaining simple system structure using conventional light sources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively suppresses or corrects unevenness and temporal variations in captured images, allowing for accurate observation of cell cultures and enabling the calculation and presentation of medium characteristics to the user.
Implementation Method 1
the irradiated light passes through in the culturing container and travels while being scattered by cells or the like near the culturing surface. Thus, in the culturing container, the amount of light more decreases on the side far from the light source than on the side close to the light source. Further, since culture media generally contain a pH indicator represented by phenol red and exhibit a color change in accordance with pH, variation in the amount of light occurs also due to such a color change in accordance with pH of a culture medium.
Data Source
AI summary
A cell observation system has: a part for a culturing container to be placed, the culturing container having a surface where cells are culturable and an optically transparent side face forming a peripheral wall of the surface; a light emission unit configured to irradiate the surface with irradiation light from the side face; and an image capturing unit configured to capture images of the surface and has at least any of features (a) controlling variation in an amount of light of the irradiation light, the surface being irradiated with the irradiation light, and the variation being due to absorption of light by a medium in the culturing container and (b) correcting an effect caused by variation in an amount of light of the irradiation light, the surface being irradiated with the irradiation light, and the variation being due to absorption of light by a medium in the culturing container.