Bottom surface position detection apparatus, image acquisition apparatus, bottom surface position detection method, and image acquisition method

Abstract

This image acquisition apparatus includes a bottom surface position detection apparatus, and acquires an image of biological cells disposed in wells of a vessel. The bottom surface position detection apparatus includes a holder, a light irradiator, a detector, and a controller. The holder horizontally holds a vessel. The light irradiator irradiates a bottom portion of the vessel with a light beam. The detector detects a first reflected light beam reflected from a first bottom surface that is a bottom surface of the vessel and a second reflected light beam reflected from a second bottom surface that is a bottom surface of the wells. The controller calculates the position of the second bottom surface, based on a first peak position of the first reflected light beam and a second peak position of the second reflected light beam both detected by the detector. Thus, the bottom surface position of the wells in the vessel is detected even if the vessel has the bottom portion uneven in thickness or has a curved bottom surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.