Abstract: In order to investigate particles in a fluid, a flow cell causes the fluid to flow past a sensor which receives light from a continuous light emission system. When the sensor detects a change in light, a particle detector is triggered, which in turn triggers a pulse generator and hence an intermittent light emission system. Light then illuminates the flow cell to allow a CCD camera to photograph the particle. The photographs taken by the CCD camera are analyzed by an image processor. In order to obtain an accurate particle concentration measurement, it is necessary to modify the initial concentration measurement derived from the analysis of particle images by the image processor by a compensation coefficient. This operation is carried out by a concentration compensator. The result may then be displayed. Additional analysis may be carried out by changing the magnification of the CCD camera, or by selecting for analysis only those particles of a selected size or type.

Abstract: A particle image in a sample is formed at an imaging position by an objective lens of a microscope, projected on the image picking up plane of a TV camera via a projection lens and is subjected to photo-electric conversion. Image signals from the TV camera are supplied to an image memory via an A/D converter as well as to an image processing control unit. Image signals outputted from the image memory are supplied to a characteristic picking out unit and there a plurality of characteristics of the particle concerned are picked out. The picked-out characteristics are supplied to the classification unit and there classification of the sediment components is perfumed via a neural network with a learning capability. Accordingly, the classification unit performs provisionally an automatic classification of the objective sediment components by making use of the inputted characteristic parameters.

Abstract: A flow cell apparatus, useful in an apparatus for measuring particles suspended in a liquid, comprises a sample liquid, supply device, a sheath liquid supply device, a flow cell which has a flow passage passing through a transparent measuring portion, and a nozzle for causing the sample liquid, from the supply device to flow in the flow passage of the flow cell. The nozzle has at least one discharge port which is disposed in the flow passage in a spaced relation from the inner wall of the flow cell flow passage. The sheath liquid supply device causes the sheath liquid to flow around the nozzle discharge port and surround the sample liquid flow to form a sheath flow. The flow passage of the flow cell and the nozzle are so formed as to ensure a sample liquid flow of a fixed width through the measuring portion.

Abstract: Dyeing agents which are excellent in visual recognition of discernible or tangible components in a sample cause no coagulation of proteins, sugars or glycoproteins dissolved in the sample. An apparatus for image analysis of flow type stain particles uses the dyeing agents, and particles of discernible components suspended in a flowing sample can be detected so that images of the particles can be efficiently photographed and the discernible components can thus be analyzed by image processing of the thus-obtained image.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for flow type particle image analysis generate a pulse light emission in any one of the odd and the even field image reading-out periods, and multiple exposure is prevented by prohibiting the next pulse light emission in the predetermined period after the emission. The method includes the steps of flowing a sample liquid in a flow cell, detecting particles passing through the flow cell by a laser beam, making a flash lamp emit light after the predetermined period from the particle detection, picking up a particle still image by a TV camera, and further preventing the multiple exposure by providing emission-prohibiting periods which are established by controlling the timings of flash lamp emission and image transfer with the TV camera, a flash lamp emission control circuit, and an image processing control circuit which are controlled by a central control part.

Abstract: In a stained particle analyzing method and apparatus for staining a test sample containing suspended particles, shooting an image of the stained sample, and classifying the particles and computing the density from the shot image of the sample, the sample, which may not be analyzed precisely, is detected before the start of an image analyzing process. Only the sample, which will be analyzed precisely, is stained and subjected to the image analysis. Color information of the sample before the staining is detected and stored. Color information of an image of the sample shot after the staining is compensated based on the color information of the sample detected before the staining. The sort and density of the particles are classified and computed on the basis of the image after the color compensation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing cells in a biological liquid sample, such as blood, in which apparatus a flow passage in a sample pretreatment system can be shortened with a simple construction. A sample metering chamber, a mixing chamber and a measurement liquid extracting chamber are formed in a rotary sliding member of a pretreatment portion. The rotary sliding member is intermittently rotated so as to shift a sample from one chamber to another to perform a necessary treatment. Fluorescence or scattering light with respect to the sample, mixed with a reagent in the pretreatment portion, is detected by a flow cell.

Abstract: A first video signal is obtained by picking up an image of a sample by a TV camera. A second video signal representing character information regarding the sample is derived from a memory connected to a computer system. The first and second signals are superposed to obtain a sum signal representing a combined single scene, and the sum signal is displayed as a visible picture on a display device. Before the step of superposition of the first and second video signals, at least one of the video signals may be multiplied by a weight.

Abstract: An automatic focusing control method for microscope includes preliminarily determining and storing respective in-focus positions of an objective lens of the microscope for a plurality of points on a stage of the microscope prior to observation and measurement of a sample by the microscope. Upon actual measurement after the sample has been mounted on the microscope stage, an approximate in-focus position of the objective lens for the sample is determined on the basis of the stored in-focus positions of the objective lens for at least one of the plurality of points in the vicinity of the sample. Then, the objective lens is moved to the determined approximate in-focus position at a high speed, and a usual automatic focusing is thereafter carried out, thereby making it possible to perform the automatic focusing operation rapidly and accurately.

Abstract: A slide specimen extracted from a cassette at a receiving position is carried to a holding position for waiting by a carrier along a carrying pass. While at the holding position, a previously inspected specimen that has been observed through a microscope is placed on the carrying pass at a specimen replacing position. Thereafter the specimen that has been held at the holding position is carried to the replacing position by the carrier, while at the same time the specimen that has just been placed at the replacing position is moved along the carrying pass by the carrier. The specimen then placed in the replacing position is picked up by a pair of holding arms and carried to an observing position of the microscope. The specimen is retained by vacuum adsorption and by specimen retainers which resiliently hold it by means of springs in contact with the vacuum adsorption surface.

Abstract: An automatic cell analyzing system for automatically analyzing a large number of sample slides prepared for cellular samples. The sample slides include a plurality of sample slide sets each prepared by different staining methods for each sample. Cellular images obtained by observing through a microscope the numerous sample slides picked out sequentially are analyzed by an image fetching/feature extracting circuit, the resulting morphological features of the individual cells being converted into digital information to be stored. Upon completion of the analysis for all the sample slides, the digital information obtained from the sample slide is synthetically examined for each associated sample to thereby classify the sample into one of predetermined categories.

Abstract: An automatic rate analyzing method for determining a concentration of an item in concern contained in a sample to be analyzed comprises steps of irradiating the sample with light thereby to produce a transmitted light signal at a specific wavelength, converting the transmitted light signal into a corresponding electric signal and sampling the electric signal at a given interval thereby to produce a plurality of sample values. The plurality of sample values are grouped into groups each containing a predetermined number of sample values selected for every given number of the sample values. Each of the groups is deviated from the adjacent ones by a number of sample values smaller than the given number. The sample values in each of the groups are added together to produce sums associated with each of the groups.

Abstract: Color former is added to blood serum sample color it, and measurements for specific components are determined based on the light absorbance caused by coloring. For one sample, a differential light absorbance between two wavelengths at each of long wavelength region, middle wavelength region and short wavelength region within a visible wavelength band is determined. The degree of chyle is determined from the measurements for the long wavelength region, the degree of hemolysis is determined from the measurements for the middle wavelength region, and the degree of icterus is determined from the measurements for the short wavelength region. The measurements for the specific components are then corrected by the degree of chyle, degree of hemolysis and degree of icterus to obtain highly correct measurements.