Abstract
Automatisation and digitalisation of laboratory processes require adequate online measurement techniques. In this paper, we present affordable and simple means for non-invasive measurement of biomass concentrations during cultivation in shake flasks. Specifically, we investigate the following research questions. Can images of shake flasks and their content acquired with smartphone cameras be used to estimate biomass concentrations? Can machine vision be used to robustly determine the region of interest in the images such that the process can be automated? To answer these questions, 18 experiments were performed and more than 340 measurements taken. The relevant region in the images was selected automatically using K-means clustering. Statistical analysis shows high fidelity of the resulting model predictions of optical density values that were based on the information embedded in colour changes of the automatically selected region in the images.
Highlights
Today’s trend in many laboratories of the biochemical and biotechnology industries as well as in academia is towards automatisation and digitalisation
Statistical analysis shows high fidelity of the resulting model predictions of optical density values that were based on the information embedded in colour changes of the automatically selected region in the images
We presented a methodology for predicting Optical density (OD), and biomass, during yeast cultivation in shake flasks by using information embedded in colour images of the flask’s content
Summary
Today’s trend in many laboratories of the biochemical and biotechnology industries as well as in academia is towards automatisation and digitalisation. This trend is part of the so called fourth industrial revolution, where readiness and transparency of data play an important role. In 2014, Ude and colleagues presented in [2] a device for online measurements of pH, pO2 and OD in shake flasks. It consists of a sophisticated prototype platform with an OD biomass sensor based on backward light scattering.
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