Method and system for automated counting of microscopic fibers within a sample

A counting method for automated counting of microscopic fibers within a sample, said counting method comprising the following steps of:

• providing a phase-contrast type microscope comprising an optical system provided with an ocular, an objective and a motorized focusing system, a sample-holder placed opposite the objective and displaceable according to two directions (X, Y) of an analysis plane by means of a two-axis motorized system, and a controller connected to the motorized focusing system and to the two-axis motorized system;
• providing a mobile terminal equipped with a digital image sensor, a screen, a processor and a memory in which is loaded a counting program;
• placing the sample on the sample-holder of the microscope;
• disposing the mobile terminal on a support of the microscope so that the digital image sensor is positioned and held stable in front of the ocular of the microscope with an alignment between the optical axis of the ocular and the center of the digital image sensor;
• establishing a connection between the processor of the mobile terminal and the controller of the microscope;
• launching the counting program so that the processor of the mobile terminal performs successive counting sequences on distinct analysis areas of the sample, wherein between two successive counting sequences the processor controls the two-axis motorized system to position the objective over a new analysis area of the sample, and wherein for each counting sequence the processor implements the following steps of:
• setting the focus on the corresponding analysis area comprising a control of the motorized focusing system;
• capturing a main image of the corresponding analysis area by triggering the digital image sensor;
• analyzing said main image in order to count the number of microscopic fibers on the corresponding analysis area.