Provided is an observation device including: a stereo image-acquisition optical system that acquires images of cells floating in a culture fluid inside a culture vessel; and an analyzer that calculates a cell density of the cells on the basis of the images acquired by the stereo image-acquisition optical system, wherein the analyzer identifies a three-dimensional position of each of the cells included in the images and calculates the cell density on the basis of the number of cells present within a predetermined three-dimensional region.

Disclosed herein are platforms, systems, and methods including a cell culture system that includes a cell culture container comprising a cell culture, the cell culture receiving input cells, a cell imaging subsystem configured to acquire images of the cell culture, a computing subsystem configured to perform a cell culture process on the cell culture according to the images acquired by the cell imaging subsystem, and a cell editing subsystem configured to edit the cell culture to produce output cell products according to the cell culture process.

A system for dissociating cells from a cell culture vessel. The system comprises an imaging system configured to image a plurality of cells in a cell culture vessel being dissociated from at least one surface of the cell culture vessel by at least one cell dissociation agent; and at least one controller coupled to the imaging system and configured to: control the imaging system to capture a sequence of images of at least some cells in the plurality of cells during dissociation; and identify when to neutralize the at least one cell dissociation agent using the sequence of images.

The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single molecule analyzer, methods of using the analyzer and analyzer systems to analyze samples, either for single molecules or for molecular complexes. The single molecule uses electromagnetic radiation that is translated through the sample to detect the presence or absence of a single molecule. The single molecule analyzer provided herein is useful for diagnostics because the analyzer detects single molecules with zero carryover between samples.

Particles such as blood cells can be categorized and counted by a digital image processor. A digital microscope camera can be directed into a flowcell defining a symmetrically narrowing flowpath in which the sample stream flows in a ribbon flattened by flow and viscosity parameters between layers of sheath fluid. A contrast pattern for autofocusing is provided on the flowcell, for example at an edge of a rear illumination opening. The image processor assesses focus accuracy from pixel data contrast. A positioning motor moves the microscope and/or flowcell along the optical axis for autofocusing on the contrast pattern target. The processor then displaces microscope and flowcell by a known distance between the contrast pattern and the sample stream, thus focusing on the sample stream. Blood cell images are collected from that position until autofocus is reinitiated, periodically, by input signal, or when detecting temperature changes or focus inaccuracy in the image data.

The disclosed flow cytometer includes a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). The WDM includes an extended light source providing light that forms an object, a collimating optical element that captures light from the extended light source and projects a magnified image of the object as a first light beam, and a first focusing optical element configured to focus the first light beam to a size smaller than the object of the extended light source to a first semiconductor detector. The disclosed flow cytometer further includes a composite microscope objective to direct light emitted by a particle in a flow channel in a viewing zone of the composite microscope to the extended light source, a fluidic system and a peristaltic pump configured to supply liquid sheath and liquid sample to the flow channel, and a laser diode system to illuminate the particle in the flow channel.

A method for pre-scanning a transparent cell culture plate with a plurality of wells to improve focus using a plurality of z-axis images and a method for focusing an optical system on a transparent cell culture plate by performing a Fourier transform on image data at different focus distance steps to reveal a pattern and using the pattern at each step to determine the focus distance.

Provided is an optical imaging system, adapted for presenting an image of a particle. The optical imaging system includes a collimated light source, a flow channel, and a telecentric lens. The collimated light source is adapted for emitting a parallel beam. The flow channel is arranged on the transmission path of the parallel beam and is adapted for allowing the particle to pass through. The telecentric lens is arranged on the transmission path of the parallel beam. The parallel beam passes through the flow channel before transmitted to the telecentric lens, and the telecentric lens is adapted for converging the parallel beam onto an imaging plane.

A particle counter is configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the flow passage is irradiated. The particle counter includes: a multi-flow cell having a plurality of the flow passages; a path adjuster configured to adjust a position of an optical path of the light with respect to the multi-flow cell, based on which flow passage is selected from the flow passages; and a light adjuster configured to adjust a condition of the light with which the selected flow passage is irradiated.

A new liquid flow cell assembly for light scattering measurements is disclosed which utilized a floating manifold system. The assembly operates with minimal stacked tolerances by aligning the cell to the windows within a manifold and independently aligning the cell to the read head directly. This configuration enables the ability to replace the flow cell or the flow cell/manifold assembly within a light scattering instrument without the need to realign the flow through elements with the light scattering illumination source while still maintaining reproducible, quality data. Some embodiments employ wide bore cells which enable the measurement of process analytic technology (PAT) including online monitoring of reactions.