DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC SPECIES ANALYSIS AND METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT THE SAME

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for automatic species analysis and to a method for carrying out the same. In particular, the invention relates to a device for automatic species analysis within a large biological group and to a method for automatically carrying out such analyses. A device according to the invention for automatic species analysis within a large biological group comprises a first beam path (10), directed from a first laser radiation source (12) to a sample region (40), the fluorescence radiation emitted by a sample (42) within the sample region (40) as a result of excitation by the first laser radiation source (12) being collected and fed to a first spectrometer (14) for spectral evaluation; a second beam path (20), directed from a second laser radiation source (22) to the sample region (40), the fluorescence radiation emitted by the sample (42) within the sample region (40) as a result of excitation by the second laser radiation source (22) being collected and fed to a second spectrometer (24) for spectral evaluation; and a camera (30), which is designed to capture a photograph of the sample (42) within the sample region (40); the device also comprising a means for automatic species analysis (50), which is designed to carry out an automatic species analysis from the sample-related results of the spectroscopic evaluation of the first spectrometer (14) and of the second spectrometer (24) and the photograph of the camera (30) by means of a multi-step threshold value comparison for certain determination parameters stored in an associated database. A method according to the invention serves to carry out an automatic species analysis by means of a device according to the invention.

Claims

1. A device for automatic species analysis within a large biological group, comprising: a sample area; a first laser radiation source; a second laser radiation source; a first spectrometer; a second spectrometer; a first beam path, directed from the first laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted from a sample within the sample area by excitation by the first laser radiation source is collected and fed to the first spectrometer for spectral evaluation; a second beam path, directed from the second laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted by the sample within the sample area by excitation by the second laser radiation source is collected and fed to the second spectrometer for spectral evaluation; and a camera configured to take a photographic image of the sample within the sample area; wherein the device further comprises a means for automatic species analysis, configured to carry out an automatic species analysis from the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the camera by a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the emission wavelength of the first laser radiation source is between 480 nm and 500 nm.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the emission wavelength of the second laser radiation source is between 550 nm and 570 nm.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the database of the means for automatic species analysis contains additional determination Keys tor species analysis.

5. The device according to claim 1, the device further comprising a means for archiving, configured to archive the results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the camera.

6. The device according to claim 1, the device further comprising statistical evaluation means configured to perform statistical evaluation of a plurality of automatic species analyses on different samples.

7. A method for automatic species analysis, comprising the following steps: Providing of a device according to claim 1; Introducing a sample into the sample area; Acquiring a sample-related spectral evaluation of the fluorescence radiation generated with the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer as well as a photographic image of the sample with the camera; and Evaluating the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and of the photographic image of the camera by automatic species analysis, wherein an automatic species analysis is carried out by a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, for the evaluation of the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the camera by automatic species analysis via the threshold value comparison, first of all a division into spectral groups on the basis of the spectral intensity ratios for individual wavelength ranges in the evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer, either individually or in combination, and then differentiation at family level is carried out on the basis of an automatic image analysis of the photographic image taken by the camera.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein further differentiation at species level is subsequently carried out on the basis of an automatic image analysis of the photographic image of the camera and/or by taking into account additional determination keys for species determination.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein a biovolume determination is additionally carried out by automatic species analysis on the basis of the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and/or the second spectrometer and/or the photographic image of the camera.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the camera are archived.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein a statistical evaluation of a plurality of automatic species analyses is carried out on different samples by statistical evaluation.

13. A method for automatic pollen determination according to a method according to claim 7, wherein the ratio between red and blue spectral components, the pollen size, the maximum axial extent of the pollen and/or the geometric asymmetry ratio of the pollen are evaluated as determination parameters.

14. A method for automatic determination of phytoplankton according to a method according to claim 7, wherein excitation of the sample is carried out at an emission wavelength of the first laser radiation source between 480 nm and 500 nm, wherein excitation of the sample is carried out at an emission wavelength of the second laser radiation source between 550 nm and 570 nm for the excitation of phycoerythrin.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cell length, the cell width, the maximum axial extension, the geometric asymmetry ratio of the phytoplankton cells, the cell size, the colony size and/or the size of refractive intracellular structures of the phytoplankton cells are evaluated as determination parameters.

16. A device for automatic species analysis within a large biological group, comprising: a sample area; a first laser radiation source; a second laser radiation source; a first spectrometer; a second spectrometer; a first beam path, directed from the first laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted from a sample within the sample area by excitation by the first laser radiation source is collected and fed to the first spectrometer for spectral evaluation; a second beam path, directed from the second laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted by the sample within the sample area by excitation by the second laser radiation source is collected and fed to the second spectrometer for spectral evaluation; and a camera configured to take a photographic image of the sample within the sample area; wherein the device further comprises an analyzer, configured to carry out an automatic species analysis from the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the cameraby a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

17. A method for automatic species analysis, comprising the following steps: Providing of a device according to claim 16; Introducing a sample into the sample area; Acquiring a sample-related spectral evaluation of the fluorescence radiation generated with the first spectrometer and the second spectrometeras well as a photographic image of the sample with the camera; and Evaluating the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and of the photographic image of the camera by the analyzer, configured to carry out the automatic species analysis, wherein the automatic species analysis is carried out by a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

18. A method for automatic pollen determination according to a method according claim 17, wherein the ratio between red and blue spectral components, the pollen size, the maximum axial extent of the pollen and/or the geometric asymmetry ratio of the pollen are evaluated as determination parameters.

19. A method for automatic determination of phytoplankton according to a method according claim 17, wherein excitation of the sample is carried out at an emission wavelength of the first laser radiation source between 480 nm and 500 nm, wherein excitation of the sample is carried out at an emission wavelength of the second laser radiation source between 550 nm and 570 nm for the excitation of phycoerythrin.

20. A device for automatic species analysis within a large biological group, comprising: a sample area; a first laser radiation source; a second laser radiation source; a first spectrometer; a second spectrometer; a first beam path, directed from the first laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted from a sample within the sample area by excitation by the first laser radiation source is collected and fed to the first spectrometer for spectral evaluation; a second beam path, directed from the second laser radiation source onto the sample area, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted by the sample within the sample area by excitation by the second laser radiation source is collected and fed to the second spectrometer for spectral evaluation; and a camera configured to take a photographic image of the sample within the sample area; wherein the device further comprises a circuit, configured to carry out an automatic species analysis from the sample-related results of the spectral evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer and the photographic image of the cameraby a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] The invention is explained below in example embodiments based on the associated drawing. It is shown:

[0055] FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an automatic species analysis device; and

[0056] FIG. 2 a flow chart for a multi-stage threshold comparison in a method for automatic species analysis according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a embodiment of a device for automatic species analysis. The device comprises a first beam path 10, directed from a first laser radiation source 12 onto a sample area 40, wherein the fluorescence radiation emitted from a sample 42 within the sample area 40 by excitation by the first laser radiation source 12 is collected and fed to a first spectrometer 14 for spectral evaluation; a second beam path 20 is directed from a second laser radiation source 22 to the sample region 40, the fluorescent radiation emitted by the sample 42 within the sample region 40 by excitation by the second laser radiation source 22 being collected and fed to a second spectrometer 24 for spectral evaluation; and a camera 30, configured to take a photographic image of the sample 42 within the sample region 40; the device further comprising a means for automatic species analysis (50), configured to carry out an automatic species analysis from the sample-related results of the spectroscopic evaluation of the first spectrometer (14) and the second spectrometer (24) and the photographic image of the camera (30) by means of a multi-stage threshold value comparison for specific determination parameters stored in an associated database.

[0058] Furthermore, the illustration shows a means of archiving 60 connected to the means for automatic species analysis 50, configured to archive the results of the spectroscopic evaluation of the first spectrometer 14 and the second spectrometer 24 as well as the photographic image of the camera 30. The illustration also shows a means for statistical evaluation 70, connected to the means for automatic species analysis 50, configured to perform statistical evaluation of a large number of automatic species analyses on different samples 42.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart for a multi-stage threshold comparison in a method for automatic species analysis according to the invention. A corresponding taxonomic differentiation is carried out in several stages. In the first step S1, a division into spectral groups is carried out on the basis of the sample-related results of the spectroscopic evaluation of the first spectrometer and the second spectrometer (preferably via intensity ratios between the intensity values in different spectral ranges). Subsequently, in a second step S2, a classification at family level is made on the basis of an evaluation of the sample-related photographic image of the camera 30. Corresponding threshold values can be extracted from the photographic images of the camera 30 by means of automatic image recognition methods. Finally, in a third step S3, a classification at species level is made on the basis of a further evaluation of the sample-related photographic image of the camera 30 with regard to further determination parameters and/or taking into account additional determination keys (e.g. corresponding probability statements on the species probability based on the sample origin).

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0060] 10 First beam path [0061] 12 First laser radiation source [0062] 14 First spectrometer [0063] 20 Second beam path [0064] 22 Second laser radiation source [0065] 24 Second spectrometer [0066] 30 Camera [0067] 40 Sample area [0068] 42 Sample [0069] 50 Means for automatic species analysis [0070] 60 Means for archiving [0071] 70 Means for statistical evaluation [0072] S1 Step 1 [0073] S2 Step 2 [0074] S3 Step 3