Particle sorting device, particle sorting method, program, and particle sorting system

A method for analyzing particles, including:

• receiving captured image information obtained from imaging droplets discharged from an orifice, wherein the droplets are produced by a vibrating element arranged to apply a micro vibration to a liquid flowing through a flow channel to convert a fluid discharged from the orifice at the end of the flow channel into the droplets;
• analyzing histogram data prepared from the captured image information and from previously-set reference image information obtained from a droplet sorter, wherein the captured image information is obtained from an image having droplets discharged from the orifice and wherein the histogram data identifies a number of pixels having a brightness level for a plurality of different brightness levels associated with the captured image information;
• determining whether or not the captured image information, which includes captured droplet image information about a brightness of an image of particle-containing droplets captured after discharge from an orifice, has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information, which includes reference droplet image information about a brightness of an image of droplets captured after discharge from the orifice, based on changes in one or more peaks in the histogram data;
• and
• evaluating operation of the droplet sorter based on determining whether or not the captured image information has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information.

Non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions that, when executed, adapt a particle sorting device to perform acts of:

• receiving captured image information obtained from imaging droplets discharged from an orifice, wherein the droplets are produced by a vibrating element arranged to apply a micro vibration to a liquid flowing through a flow channel to convert a fluid discharged from the orifice at the end of the flow channel into the droplets;
• analyzing histogram data prepared from the captured image information and from previously-set reference image information obtained from a droplet sorter, wherein the captured image information is obtained from an image having droplets discharged from the orifice and wherein the histogram data identifies a number of pixels having a brightness level for a plurality of different brightness levels associated with the captured image information;
• judging whether or not the captured image information, which includes captured droplet image information about a brightness of an image of particle-containing droplets captured after discharge from an orifice, has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information, which includes reference droplet image information about a brightness of an image of droplets captured after discharge from the orifice, based on changes in one or more peaks in the histogram data;
• and
• evaluating operation of the droplet sorter based on determining whether or not the captured image information has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information.

A particle sorting system comprising:

• a flow channel and an orifice providing an opening at an end of the flow channel;
• a vibrating element arranged to apply a micro vibration to a liquid flowing through the flow channel to convert a fluid discharged from the orifice into droplets;
• and
• a judgment unit adapted to:
• analyze histogram data prepared from captured image information and from previously-set reference image information obtained from a droplet sorter, wherein the captured image information is obtained from an image having droplets discharged from the orifice and wherein the histogram data identifies a number of pixels having a brightness level for a plurality of different brightness levels associated with the captured image information;
• determine whether or not the captured image information, which includes captured droplet image information about a brightness of an image of particle-containing droplets captured after discharge from an orifice, has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information, which includes reference droplet image information about a brightness of an image of droplets captured after discharge from the orifice, based on changes in one or more peaks in the histogram data;
• and
• evaluate operation of the droplet sorter based on determining whether or not the captured image information has changed with respect to the previously-set reference image information.