Cell culture device, image processing device and cell detecting system
View Patent ↗In a container of a cell culture device, a light source and a camera are arranged on both sides of an incubator, and the camera or incubator can be moved in relation to each other. An image of cells in the incubator is captured with a given focus. The medium, image density, and noise component of images captured while varying the focus of the camera have substantially similar pixel values. Consequently, by subjecting the data on the images captured with such different focuses to differential processing, only the cell portion can be extracted without being influenced by the color variation of the medium, the variation of the amount of light, the difference in brightness between the central and peripheral areas of the image, and the noise.
1. A cell culture device provided with a storage container capable of forming a space sealed off from outer atmosphere, in which the following devices are disposed:
an incubator for cell culturing;
a light source for irradiating light to the cells in culture process in the incubator; and
an image acquiring device for imaging the cells in culture process, placed in the back of the incubator with respect to the light source,
as well as comprising means for processing images acquired by the image acquiring device and means for creating image data for extracting the cells,
wherein the image data creating means comprises:
means for selecting at least two images having clear periphery of the cells from the images acquired by changing the focal point positions;
means for adjusting positions of the selected images; and
means for carrying out the differential processing on the aligned images, and
wherein the image acquiring device is disposed as movable in light source direction, and acquires the cell images of each focal point positions.
2. The cell culture device according to claim 1 , wherein the image data creating means further comprises means for performing binarization processing on the image data implemented with differential processing.
3. The cell culture device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the positioning/differential processing is carried out on the region smaller than the acquired images.
4. The cell culture device according to claim 1 , comprising the means for automatically and repeatedly performing image acquisition, image analysis and creation of data for judging growth rate of the cells, at predetermined period of time intervals.
5. The cell culture device according to claim 1 , characterized in comprising a display unit for displaying image data based on the images acquired by the image acquiring means.
6. A cell culture device comprising:
incubator means for culturing cells;
image acquiring means for acquiring images of the cells in the incubator means;
focal point position adjusting means for moving either the image acquiring means or the incubator means, and adjusting the focal point of the image acquiring means to front and back of the cells in culture process in the incubator means;
extracting means for extracting only the cell portions, with respect to the plurality of focal point positions set by the focal point position adjusting means, by carrying out differential processing on the plurality of image data having different focal point positions being acquired by the image acquiring means; and
comprising focal point position calculating means for calculating the focal point position of the image acquiring means for acquiring most suitable images for extracting only the cell portions by the extracting means.
7. The cell culture device according to claim 6 , further comprising position compensating means for compensating position of the plurality of image data acquired by the image acquiring means.