Abstract: A support system includes: a container that is deformable; an ER fluid sealed in the container; and a plurality of application electrodes each provided in the container, and the support system further includes a plurality of rigid bodies each firmly fixed to the container.

Abstract: A method of measuring simply and accurately a microbial count in a sample. Namely, a method of measuring a microbial count including a step of blending a composition for preparing a culture medium for a microbial count measurement including (a) a polymer able to form a non-flowable transparent gel without a melting step by heating and without cooling, and (b) a nutrient component, with a sample added thereto, a step of incubating microorganisms contained in the sample, and a step of measuring the colony count of the microorganisms.

Abstract: A solution is the microorganism testing apparatus equipped with a pre-processing unit in which, if a content of microorganism testing on a specific specimen is selected or input, testing conditions of the specimen read from a storage device in which testing information specifying the testing conditions of the specimen is stored are printed on a sheet-form medium to be used for testing of the specimen, and a post-processing unit in which, if an image of the medium is read, the testing conditions printed on the medium and a type of the medium preliminarily labelled on the medium are acquired from the image to output judgment results as to whether or not the testing conditions acquired from the image, and the type of the medium are compatible.

Abstract: A solution is the microorganism testing apparatus equipped with a pre-processing unit in which, if a content of microorganism testing on a specific specimen is selected or input, testing conditions of the specimen read from a storage device in which testing information specifying the testing conditions of the specimen is stored are printed on a sheet-form medium to be used for testing of the specimen, and a post-processing unit in which, if an image of the medium is read, the testing conditions printed on the medium and a type of the medium preliminarily labelled on the medium are acquired from the image to output judgment results as to whether or not the testing conditions acquired from the image, and the type of the medium are compatible.