# US 2015/0356725 A1 · System and method for counting zooplankton

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- Number: US 2015/0356725 A1
- Document ID: US20150356725A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/762,990
- Filed: 2014-01-27
- Published: 2015-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-28
- Assignees: Sinvent AS
- Applicants: Sinvent AS
- Inventors: Morten ALVER; Yngve ATTRAMADAL
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150356725A1

## CPC

- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- G01N 15/1433: using image recognition
- G06M 1/101: {by electro-optical means}
- G06M 11/00: Counting of objects distributed at random, e.g. on a surface
- G06T 5/73: Deblurring; Sharpening
- G01N 15/01: specially adapted for biological cells, e.g. blood cells (investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions in blood G01N15/05)
- G01N 2015/0053: {in liquids, e.g. trouble}
- G01N 2015/1447: {Spatial selection}
- G01N 2015/1452: {Adjustment of focus; Alignment}
- G01N 2015/1486: {Counting the particles}
- G06T 2207/20021: Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
- G06T 2207/20036: Morphological image processing
- G06T 2207/30128: Food products
- G06T 2207/30242: Counting objects in image
- Y02A 40/81: Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G06M: COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

A method and a system for density measurement of zooplankton in situ in an aqueous solution are described. The method comprised acquiring at least one image of a volume V of the aqueous solution; processing the at least one image and identifying particles in the image; analyzing the identified particles based on a sharpness of each particle, and identifying zooplankton to be counted.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-17. (canceled)

### Claim 18

A method for density measurement of zooplankton in situ in an aqueous solution, the method comprising:
acquiring at least one image of a volume V of the aqueous solution;
processing the at least one image and identifying particles in the image;
analyzing the identified particles based on a sharpness of each particle, and
identifying zooplankton to be counted;
wherein analyzing a sharpness of each particle further comprising:
tracing a boundary of each identified particle,
calculating an intensity gradient for each pixel along the boundary of each particle from the at least one image based on a rate of change of intensity between neighboring pixels, and
calculating a mean intensity gradient of all the pixels along the boundary of each particle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, wherein analyzing a sharpness of each particle further comprising correcting the mean intensity gradient for a general contrast level in the at least one image.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, further comprising filtering the identified particles in the at least one image based on shape parameters identifying which particles are zooplankton to be counted.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, further comprising controlling an illumination device for illumination of the volume of the aqueous solution in interaction with image acquiring and processing.

### Claim 22

A system for density measurement of zooplankton in situ in an aqueous solution, comprising:
an imaging device for acquiring at least one image of a volume V of the aqueous solution;
a plate arranged at a distance from the imaging device, the distance and a view angle of the imaging device defining the volume V of the aqueous solution imaged by the imaging device; and
an image processing device performing image processing of the at least one image from the imaging device identifying particles in the image, analyzing the identified particles based on a sharpness of each particle, and identifying zooplankton to be counted;
wherein analyzing a sharpness of each particle further comprising:
tracing a boundary of each identified particle,
calculating an intensity gradient for each pixel along the boundary of each particle from the at least one image based on a rate of change of intensity between neighbouring pixels, and
calculating a mean intensity gradient of all the pixels along the boundary of each particle.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The system according to claim 22, wherein the imaging device comprising a camera housing including at least one digital camera.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The system according to claim 22, further comprising at least one illuminating device illuminating the volume of the aqueous solution.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The system according to claim 22, further comprising a controller controlling the imaging device and the illuminating device based on feedback from the image processing device.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

Use of the system according to claim 22 for establishing a density of zooplankton copepods in an aqueous solution.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

Use of the system according to claim 22 for controlling the distribution of food to copepods in an automated zooplankton egg production facility.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

Use of the method according to claim 18 for establishing a density of zooplankton in an aqueous solution.

### Claim 29 (depends on 18)

Use of the method according to claim 18 for controlling the distribution of food to zooplankton in an automated copepod egg production facility.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

Use according to claim 26, wherein the zooplankton are copepods.

### Claim 31 (depends on 18)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being adapted to be executed in a computer comprising a processor, and the computer program causing the computer to perform the method according to claim 18.

### Claim 32 (depends on 18)

A non-transitory computer program product having stored thereon instructions for performing the method according to claim 18.