Stemmer supplies imaging components for colony counter

Published: 18-Jul-2011
Analysis Microbiology

UK firm develops module for Millipore’s Milliflex Quantum

Stemmer Imaging, a UK supplier of vision technology, has developed an imaging and counting module for Millipore’s Milliflex Quantum system for fast microbial detection. Based on a uEye board level camera, the module allows fluorescing micro-colonies as small as 120 microns in diameter to be counted.

The Milliflex Quantum system, launched last year by the Billerica, Massachusetts-based provider of technologies for the life sciences industry, is a rapid, fluorescent-based technology designed for fast detection of micro-organisms.

According to Millipore the system enables drug and vaccine manufacturers to respond to micro-organism contamination earlier in the production process.

The Milliflex Quantum uses standard membrane filtration techniques to detect viable and culturable micro-organisms using fluorescent staining. Detected colonies can be counted visually on the instrument’s display screen, or by using the camera system to display the colonies on the PC with software counting capabilities.

Initially developed as an optional accessory, but now supplied as standard due to customer demand, the camera module features Stemmer’s IDS uEYE board level camera. This incorporates a monochrome CMOS sensor with a resolution of 1280x1024 pixels and a 12mm lens, which produces high resolution, high contrast images for easy counting.

GPVision, one of Stemmer Imaging’s integration partners in France, has developed supporting software for set-up and to assist the user in counting the micro-colonies.

The inputs and outputs of the camera are used to integrate a light strip controlled by the PC software via the camera. This strip visually informs the user about the current camera status such as whether the acquisition is running or whether there is an error.

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