An in-line holographic microscope can be used to analyze on a frame-by-frame basis a video stream to track individual colloidal particles' three-dimensional motions. The system and method can provide real time nanometer resolution, and simultaneously measure particle sizes and refractive indexes. Through a combination of applying a combination of Lorenz-Mie analysis with selected hardware and software methods, this analysis can be carried out in near real time. An efficient particle identification methodology automates initial position estimation with sufficient accuracy to enable unattended holographic tracking and characterization.

A system for characterizing at least one particle from a fluid sample is disclosed. The system includes a filter disposed upstream of an outlet, and a luminaire configured to illuminate the at least one particle at an oblique angle. An imaging device is configured to capture and process images of the illuminated at least one particle as it rests on the filter for characterizing the at least one particle. A system for characterizing at least one particle using bright field illumination is also disclosed. A method for characterizing particulates in a fluid sample using at least one of oblique angle and bright field illumination is also disclosed.

A process is provided for the determination of oil dispersant effectiveness. A submersible dispersant sensing platform is passed across a body of water. The platform has a plurality of sensors including a multichannel fluorometer and a particle size analyser, and each sensor produces an output data stream. The body of water is continuously analysed at a predetermined depth profile below the surface of the body of water. Hydrodynamic and environmental condition data is collected proximate in time and location to the output data from the dispersant sensing platform. The environmental condition data includes one or more of ambient temperature, body or water temperature, salinity of the body of water, wind speed, location, mixing energy of the body of water and derivatives thereof. Oil and dispersant data is provided which includes characteristics of the dispersant and of oil samples prior to the application of the dispersant. The output data stream, the hydrodynamic and environmental condition data, and the oil and dispersant data is processed to generate an indicator of the state of dispersion of the oil and of the oil dispersant efficiency under the hydrodynamic and environmental conditions the oil is exposed to. A system for the determination of oil dispersant efficacy is also provided.

A particle measurement system and method of operation thereof are described. The system and method render a characteristic for a set of particles measured while passing through a measurement volume. The system includes a source that generates a particle-laden field containing the set of particles. The system further includes a sensor that generates a raw particle data corresponding to the set particles passing through the measurement volume of the particle measurement system, where the raw particle data comprises a set of raw particle records and each of one of the raw particle records includes a particle data content. A preconditioning stage carries out a preconditioning operation on the particle data content of the set of raw particle records to render a conditioned input data. A machine learning stage processes the conditioned input data to render an output characteristic parameter value for the set of particles.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of producing a library of microorganisms, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a first fluid comprising at least one single cell, b. dispersing said first fluid comprising at least one single cell in a second fluid, thereby obtaining a plurality of single-layer microfluidic droplets, wherein at least one single- layer microfluidic droplet comprises at least one single cell, wherein the second fluid is immiscible with the first fluid, c. optionally, adding to said at least one single-layer microfluidic droplet a third fluid comprising a sensing compound, wherein the third fluid is miscible with said first fluid, and wherein the third fluid is immiscible with said second fluid, d. injecting said at least one single-layer microfluidic droplet optionally comprising the sensing compound into a fourth fluid, wherein said fourth fluid is immiscible with said second fluid, thereby obtaining at least one double-layer microfluidic droplet, e. dispensing said at least one double-layer microfluidic droplet into a culture medium based on the viability of the cell, f. incubating said culture medium, thereby obtaining said library. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a system comprising: a. a first microfluidic chip for producing a plurality of single-layer microfluidic droplets wherein at least one single-layer microfluidic droplet comprises at least one single cell, b. a first microfluidic device for collecting said plurality of single-layer microfluidic droplets, c. a second device for adding a sensing compound into said at least one single-layer microfluidic droplet comprising at least one single cell, d. a second microfluidic chip for producing a double-layer microfluidic droplet, and e. a dispensing unit. In a third aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention in a system according to the second aspect of the present invention.

Methods and systems for sorting particles are provided. Methods and systems for sorting cell beads are provided. In some cases, cell beads may be sorted from particles unoccupied with cell derivatives. In some cases, singularly occupied cell beads may be sorted from unoccupied particles and multiply occupied cell beads.

A system for characterizing at least one particle from a fluid sample is disclosed. The system includes a filter disposed upstream of an outlet, and a luminaire configured to illuminate the at least one particle at an oblique angle. An imaging device is configured to capture and process images of the illuminated at least one particle as it rests on the filter for characterizing the at least one particle. A system for characterizing at least one particle using bright field illumination is also disclosed. A method for characterizing particulates in a fluid sample using at least one of oblique angle and bright field illumination is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for analyzing and selecting a specific droplet among a plurality of droplets (4), comprising the following steps: —providing a plurality of droplets (4), —for a droplet (4) among the plurality of droplets, measuring at least two optical signals, each optical signal being representative of a light intensity spatial distribution in the droplet for an associated wavelength channel, —calculating a plurality of parameters from the optical signals, —determining a sorting class for a droplet according to calculated parameters, —sorting said droplet according to its sorting class, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises the coordinates of a maximum for each optical signal and a co-localization parameter and the at least two calculated parameters used for the determining step comprises the co-localization parameter.

The invention relates to a method for determining the electrophoretic velocity of droplets of a first fluid in a second fluid, the method comprising: providing a first capillary (3′) having an outlet positioned in a first channel (3); providing a stream of the first fluid in the first capillary and providing a stream of the second fluid in the first channel external to the first capillary, so as to generate droplets of the first fluid in the second fluid at the outlet of the first capillary; transporting the droplets to an observation area (200) in a second channel (11); applying an electric field to the observation area of the second channel; and measuring the velocity of the droplets in the observation area. The invention also relates to a device for determining the electrophoretic velocity of droplets of a first fluid in a second fluid.

A system for characterizing at least one particle from a fluid sample is disclosed. The system includes a filter disposed upstream of an outlet, and a luminaire configured to illuminate the at least one particle at an oblique angle. An imaging device is configured to capture and process images of the illuminated at least one particle as it rests on the filter for characterizing the at least one particle. A system for characterizing at least one particle using bright field illumination is also disclosed. A method for characterizing particulates in a fluid sample using at least one of oblique angle and bright field illumination is also disclosed.