A system for electronically and optically monitoring biological samples, the system including: a multi-well plate having a plurality of wells configured to receive a plurality of biological samples, each of the wells having a set of electrodes and a transparent window on a bottom surface of the well that is free of electrodes; an illumination module configured to illuminate the wells; a cradle configured to receive the multi-well plate, the cradle having an opening on the bottom that exposes the transparent windows of the wells; and an optical imaging module movable across different wells of a same multi-well plate to capture images through the windows.

A method and apparatus for monitoring deposit formation in a process having an aqueous flow is provided. According to exemplary embodiments, a feed flow of an aqueous liquid is provided onto a receiving surface to be monitored. At least part of a receiving surface is illuminated with at least one light source. Visual data is collected across the receiving surface and analyzed. The quality and type of deposition attached to the receiving surface is classified based on information obtained from the analyzed visual data, and a quantitative scaling and/or fouling indication is computed based on the classification.

An information processing apparatus according to the present technology includes an acquisition section and a prediction section. The acquisition section acquires a plurality of chronologically captured observation images of a fertilized egg, and culture environment information regarding the fertilized egg. Using the plurality of observation images and the culture environment information, the prediction section predicts a period of time necessary until the fertilized egg reaches a specified form of development, and a quality of the fertilized egg in the form of development.

A moving bed biofilm reactor system for growing microorganisms comprising a reservoir containing a fluid that contains nutrients conducive to growth of microorganisms and a plurality of inert biomass carriers having a surface area configured to support growth of microorganisms is provided. The microorganisms may be used to remove a pollutant from a fluid. Furthermore, the microorganisms may be harvested and used as a foodstuff fertilizer, biofuels, and bioplastics.

A device and method for detecting the level of foam in a reactor vessel monitors the intensity of the light or the movement of the light detected by a camera which monitors at least one light source positioned inside the reactor vessel or viewable through the reactor vessel.

A system and method of growing and harvesting algae provided whereby the system encompasses incubation tanks, internal lighting, chilled air diffusers, and an inline incubation tank for continuous batch processing. A centrifuge separates algae from growth media, and the media is processed through a series of reclamation steps so that cleaned water is reused for fresh media.

A laser processing machine for killing specific cells from a group of cells on a surface of a layer containing an ingredient capable of absorbing laser light, the laser processing machine being configured to: control a laser light source to output laser light at 5 W or less and at a wavelength of 380 nm or greater such that the laser light source is applied to a second area on a second surface of the layer opposed to the first surface; and control an actuator to provide a relative movement between the second area where the laser light is applied and the layer at a rate of 2000 mm/sec or less such that the irradiated second area absorbs energy to generate heat that kills unwanted cells on a first area of the first surface and the laser light does not instantly kill the specific cells on the first area upon irradiation.

A cell culture vessel for use with a laser processing machine, including: a layer containing an ingredient that generates heat upon laser irradiation; the layer kills specific cells from among a group of cells cultured on a first surface of the layer when a second surface of the layer is irradiated with laser light having an output of 5W or less at a wavelength of 380 nm or greater and a relative movement between a second area on the second surface where the laser light is applied and the layer is at a rate of 2000 mm/sec or less such that the second area absorbs energy of the laser light to generate heat that kills the specific cells that are present on a first area of the first surface and the laser light does not instantly kill the specific cells on the first area upon irradiation with the laser light.

The present invention is intended to provide a cell treatment apparatus and a method for treating cells that can suppress a variation of a treatment time of treating cells using laser light. The cell treatment apparatus of the present invention includes: a cell treatment chamber in which cells in a cell culture vessel are treated; an observation unit that can observe the cells; a laser projection unit that can project a laser image onto the cells; a laser moving unit that can move the laser projection unit; and a control unit. The laser projection unit includes: a laser light source; and a laser image generation portion that generates the laser image to be projected onto the cells from laser light oscillated from the laser light source. The control unit controls generation of the laser image by the laser image generation portion. By moving the laser moving unit from a projection start position of the laser image at one end of the cell culture vessel to a projection end position of the laser image at the other end of the cell culture vessel, the laser projection unit projects the laser image from the projection start position of the laser image at one end of the cell culture vessel to the projection end position of the laser image at the other end of the cell culture vessel.

A pillar unit for a bio chip can include a plate-form substrate having a plurality of holder parts, which are spaced apart from each other, and each of the plurality of holder parts includes a holding space, to which a pillar is inserted and fixed, in which each of the plurality of holder parts further includes a pair transformation slits so that the corresponding holder part may be transformed and restored while the pillar is accommodated in the holding space; and a plurality of pillars corresponding to the plurality of holder parts, each of the plurality of pillars is accommodated in the holding space in one of the plurality of holder parts, one end of each of the plurality of pillars is combined with one holder part among the plurality of holder parts and is detachable, and the other end of each of the pillars includes a sample.