Faster counting of microorganisms

A research project co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, 2020-2023.

Project: “A fast and cost-effective machine-learning-based system for microbial growth analysis”
Contract No.: 1.1.1.1/19/A/147
Cooperation partners: Riga Technical University and SIA “Laboratorija AUCTORITAS”
Implementation: 01.07.2020-30.06.2023
Duration: 36 months

Project goal

To develop and validate a prototype laser speckle contrast imaging device with an embedded machine-learning system for fast, contactless assessment of microbial activity on solid media.

The proposed technique will significantly reduce (two to six times) the time needed to determine the number or growth rate of microorganisms compared with the standard method (manual counting of colony-forming units, CFU), and will automate the labour-intensive process of counting and classifying microorganisms.

The University of Latvia concluded a cooperation agreement with SIA “Laboratorija AUCTORITAS” to implement the project “A fast and cost-effective machine-learning-based system for microbial growth analysis”, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Coloured culture media in Petri dishes on a laboratory bench

Project tasks

to design and build a cost-effective, autonomous, compact laser speckle imaging system for counting and classifying microorganisms;
to validate the counting and classification system in a laboratory environment;
to validate the counting and classification system in a real environment;
to draft a protocol proposal for a new standard method of counting microorganisms;
to submit 9 scientific papers to journals or conference proceedings indexed in SCOPUS or Web of Science, three of them in open-access peer-reviewed journals whose citation index reaches at least 50 percent of the field’s average.

Project activities

Building an autonomous, compact laser speckle imaging device for counting and classifying bacteria
System tests in a laboratory environment
System tests in a real environment
Publicity and dissemination

An inoculation loop heated in a burner flame

Presentations and files

Presentations

Project progress

Publications and other information

Delfi.lv Latvijas zinātnieki rada metodi ātrākai mikrobioloģiska piesārņojuma konstatēšanai Video “ERAF projekts, mikrobu augšana” (YouTube, Latvian)

The research planned in the project falls into the category “industrial research and experimental development”.

Information updated on 30.06.2023.

National Development Plan 2020, European Union, European Regional Development Fund. Investing in your future.