Observation system for acquiring images of culture medium in at least three colors

1. An observation system comprising:

an observation apparatus including a housing having an arrangement surface for placement of a sample including a culture medium; and

an external light source disposed outside the housing, the external light source being configured to emit external illumination light,

an internal light source provided in the housing, the internal light source being configured to emit internal illumination light; wherein

at least a part of the arrangement surface is formed of an optically transparent member, and

the observation apparatus includes an image sensor provided in the housing, the image sensor configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the external illumination light to acquire at least three monochrome images, each of the at least three monochrome images respectively corresponding to one of at least three different colors of the visible spectrum; and

the image sensor is configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the internal illumination light to acquire a first image, and the image sensor being further configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images illuminated by the external light source as a second image.

2. The observation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to

for obtaining the first image, cause the internal light source to emit the internal illumination light, and to cause the image sensor to perform imaging, and

for acquiring the second image, cause the external light source to emit the external illumination light, and to cause the image sensor to perform imaging.

3. The observation system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is arranged inside the housing.

4. The observation system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is arranged outside the housing.

5. The observation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to calculate, for each of the at least three colors, a transmittance for light transmitted through the sample based on the at least three monochrome images of the at least three colors, and to calculate a pH of the culture medium included in the sample.

6. The observation system according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire an intensity of light that is not transmitted through the sample as a reference intensity, and

calculate the pH based on the reference intensity.

7. The observation system according to claim 5 , wherein

the image sensor is configured to acquire the images of the at least three colors over time, and

the controller is configured to calculate the pH over time.

8. The observation system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the external light source includes at least three light sources, each configured to independently emit illumination light of a different one of the at least three colors; and

the image sensor is a monochrome image sensor configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images in each of the at least three colors.

9. The observation system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the external light source is a white light source; and

the image sensor is a color image sensor having a color filter such that the color image sensor acquires the at least three monochrome images.

10. An observation system comprising:

an observation apparatus including a housing having an arrangement surface for placement of a sample including a culture medium; and

an external light source disposed outside the housing, the external light source being configured to emit external illumination light, wherein

at least a part of the arrangement surface is formed of an optically transparent member, and

the observation apparatus includes an image sensor provided in the housing, the image sensor configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the external illumination light to acquire at least three monochrome images, each of the at least three monochrome images respectively corresponding to one of at least three different colors of the visible spectrum; and

the external light source includes at least three light sources, each configured to independently emit illumination light of a different one of the at least three colors, and

the image sensor is configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images by respectively imaging the sample illuminated with the external illumination light corresponding to each of the at least three colors.

11. The observation system according to claim 10 , wherein the image sensor includes a monochrome image sensor for acquiring the at least three monochrome images.

12. An observation system comprising:

an observation apparatus including a housing having an arrangement surface for placement of a sample including a culture medium; and

an external light source disposed outside the housing, the external light source being configured to emit external illumination light, wherein

at least a part of the arrangement surface is formed of an optically transparent member, and

the observation apparatus includes an image sensor provided in the housing, the image sensor configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the external illumination light to acquire at least three monochrome images, each of the at least three monochrome images respectively corresponding to one of at least three different colors of the visible spectrum; and

the external light source includes a light source configured to emit illumination light including at least three color components respectively corresponding to the at least three different colors, and

the image sensor is configured to disperse the at least three color components, and to acquire the at least three monochrome images respectively corresponding to the at least three colors by imaging the sample illuminated with the at least three color components emitted from the external light source.

13. The observation system according to claim 12 , wherein:

the external light source includes at least three light sources, each configured to independently emit illumination light of a different one of the at least three colors; and

the image sensor is a monochrome image sensor configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images in each of the at least three colors.

14. The observation system according to claim 12 , wherein:

the external light source is a white light source; and

the image sensor is a color image sensor having a color filter such that the color image sensor acquires the at least three monochrome images.

15. An observation system comprising:

an observation apparatus including a housing having an arrangement surface for placement of a sample including a culture medium; and

an external light source disposed outside the housing, the external light source being configured to emit external illumination light, wherein

at least a part of the arrangement surface is formed of an optically transparent member,

the observation apparatus includes an image sensor provided in the housing, the image sensor configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the external illumination light to acquire at least three monochrome images, each of the at least three monochrome images being one of at least three different colors of the visible spectrum, respectively;

the observation apparatus is configured to be placed in an incubator, and

the external light source is configured to be attached to an inner wall of the incubator.

16. The observation system according to claim 15 , wherein:

the external light source includes at least three light sources, each configured to independently emit illumination light of a different one of the at least three colors; and

the image sensor is a monochrome image sensor configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images in each of the at least three colors.

17. The observation system according to claim 15 , wherein:

the external light source is a white light source; and

the image sensor is a color image sensor having a color filter such that the color image sensor acquires the at least three monochrome images.

18. An observation system comprising:

an observation apparatus including a housing having an arrangement surface for placement of a sample including a culture medium; and

an external light source disposed outside the housing, the external light source being configured to emit external illumination light, wherein

at least a part of the arrangement surface is formed of an optically transparent member,

the observation apparatus includes an image sensor provided in the housing, the image sensor configured to image, via the optically transparent member, the sample illuminated by the external illumination light to acquire at least three monochrome images, each of the at least three monochrome images respectively corresponding one of at least three different colors of the visible spectrum;

the sample includes a culture vessel,

the observation apparatus is configured to be placed in an incubator, and

the external light source is configured to be arranged above the culture vessel.

19. The observation system according to claim 18 , wherein:

the external light source includes at least three light sources, each configured to independently emit illumination light of a different one of the at least three colors; and

the image sensor is a monochrome image sensor configured to acquire the at least three monochrome images in each of the at least three colors.

20. The observation system according to claim 18 , wherein:

the external light source is a white light source; and

the image sensor is a color image sensor having a color filter such that the color image sensor acquires the at least three monochrome images.