Abstract: A method for improving classification results of a classifier including receiving classification results for a plurality of elements that have been classified by a classifier as one of a plurality of classes, constructing a graph having a plurality of nodes, each node corresponding to one of the elements, and a plurality of labels, each label corresponding to one of the classes, adding edges between nodes corresponding to related elements, adding edges between each node and each label, and using a graph cut algorithm to cut edges to a node and partition the graph into classes, the graph cut algorithm using as input the classification results for the element corresponding to that node and related elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in analysing microbial growth on a solid culture medium in a culture plate, the apparatus including an image capture device, a support for supporting the culture plate for the image capture device to capture an image of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, a ring light between the image capture device and the support, for diffusely illuminating one side of the culture plate, and a frame for positioning the image capture device, support and ring light relative to each other.

Abstract: A method for analysing microbial growth on a solid culture medium, the method including obtaining image data of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, generating an associated feature vector of values obtained by applying one or more filters to the image data, using a classifier to classify each pixel in a plurality of pixels in the image data based on the associated feature vector, analysing results of pixel classifications of each said pixel to derive a microbiological assessment of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, and outputting the microbiological assessment.

Abstract: A method for providing a mapping from apparent color to actual color for an image capture device including capturing an image of a reference color chart having a plurality of color patches using the image capture device, wherein each color patch has an associated reference color, measuring the apparent color of the plurality of color patches in the captured image, selecting a plurality of control points representing different hue values within a circular hue space, determining an angular offset for each control point such that the distance between a transformed apparent color and the reference color for each color patch is minimized, the angular offset representing a hue correction, wherein interpolation of the angular offsets for the control points provides a mapping from apparent color to actual color for the image capture device.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in analysing microbial growth on a solid culture medium in a culture plate, the apparatus including an image capture device, a support for supporting the culture plate for the image capture device to capture an image of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, a ring light between the image capture device and the support, for diffusely illuminating one side of the culture plate, and a frame for positioning the image capture device, support and ring light relative to each other.

Abstract: A method for analysing microbial growth on a solid culture medium, the method including obtaining image data of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, generating an associated feature vector of values obtained by applying one or more filters to the image data, using a classifier to classify each pixel in a plurality of pixels in the image data based on the associated feature vector, analysing results of pixel classifications of each said pixel to derive a microbiological assessment of the solid culture medium and any microbial growth, and outputting the microbiological assessment.

Abstract: A method for improving classification results of a classifier including receiving classification results for a plurality of elements that have been classified by a classifier as one of a plurality of classes, constructing a graph having a plurality of nodes, each node corresponding to one of the elements, and a plurality of labels, each label corresponding to one of the classes, adding edges between nodes corresponding to related elements, adding edges between each node and each label, and using a graph cut algorithm to cut edges to a node and partition the graph into classes, the graph cut algorithm using as input the classification results for the element corresponding to that node and related elements.

Abstract: A method for providing a mapping from apparent colour to actual colour for an image capture device including capturing an image of a reference colour chart having a plurality of colour patches using the image capture device, wherein each colour patch has an associated reference colour, measuring the apparent colour of the plurality of colour patches in the captured image, selecting a plurality of control points representing different hue values within a circular hue space, determining an angular offset for each control point such that the distance between a transformed apparent colour and the reference colour for each colour patch is minimised, the angular offset representing a hue correction, wherein interpolation of the angular offsets for the control points provides a mapping from apparent colour to actual colour for the image capture device.