JChainsAnalyser: an ImageJ-based stand-alone application for the study of magneto-rheological fluids

Abstract

JChainsAnalyser is a Java-based program for the analysis of two-dimensional images of magneto-rheological fluids (MRF) at low concentration of particles obtained using the video-microscopy technique. MRF are colloidal dispersions of micron-sized polarizable particles in a carrier fluid with medium to low viscosity. When a magnetic field is applied to the suspension, the particles aggregate forming chains or clusters. Aggregation dynamics [P. Domínguez-García, S. Melle, J.M. Pastor, M.A. Rubio, Phys. Rev. E 76 (2007) 051403] and morphology of the aggregates [P. Domínguez-García, S. Melle, M.A. Rubio, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 333 (2009) 221–229] have been studied capturing images of the fluid and analyzing them by using this software. The program allows to analyze automatically the MRF images by means of an adequate combination of different imaging methods, while magnitudes and statistics are calculated and saved in data files. It is possible to run the program on a desktop computer, using the GUI (graphical user interface), or in a cluster of processors or remote computer by means of command-line instructions. Program summary Program title: JChainsAnalyser Catalogue identifier: AEDT_v1_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEDT_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC license, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 79 071 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 4 367 909 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Java 2 Computer: Any computer with Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed Operating system: Any OS with Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed RAM: Typically, 3.3 MB Classification: 23 External routines: ImageJ, ij-imageIO, jdom, L2FProd Nature of problem: The video-microscopy technique usually produces quite a big quantity of images to analyze. Although ImageJ gives the required filters and methods for image analysis, it fails when a large number of images is used. Moreover, an adequate combination of filters is needed for the segmentation and binarization of this kind of images. Solution method: JChainsAnalyser filters and analyses any quantity of MRF images automatically, so the application can be run on a desktop computer or using a cluster of processors. It can be run in a desktop computer using the GUI (graphical user interface) or by a command-line interface. JChainsAnalyser uses XML files to define input/output data and Java to ensure portability between operating systems. It also utilizes an image algorithm based on the application of different and adaptative ImageJ's filters. Running time: The test run provided takes only a few seconds.