PURPOSE: To decide flocculation in its early stage by processing a flocculation image right after the start of flocculation reaction continuously.
CONSTITUTION: The flocculation image on a microplate 7 is stored as a video image in an image memory 13 by a TV camera 12 in the presence of proper lighting. Then the video image stored in the memory 13 is sent to an image differentiating device 14, which supplies its differentiated image to an image processor 15, thereby obtaining the contour of the differentiated image. Then by a standard deviation calculating device 16, a variation coefficient calculating device 17, a contrast calculating device 18, and an area calculating device 20, the light and shade of the flocculation in its early stage are decided with extremely which accuracy from the relations among the area and time obtained from the contour, the sharpness and time of the contour, and the contrast and time of the flocculated body.
SAITO TOMOO
SAKURABAYASHI KYOSUKE
