Robohub.org
 

Robots automate testing for bacteria, including coliforms


by
08 July 2014



share this:

About RobohubRobohub is an online platform that brings together leading communicators in robotics research, start-ups, business, and education from around the world. Learn more about us here. If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

See all the latest robotics news on Robohub, or sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Taihei Environmental Science Center has developed a system that automatically performs water quality testing, and can detect bacteria such as E. coli. In the past, this work had to be done manually. The system uses three robots to completely automate all stages of the process, from collecting a predetermined amount of the sample, injecting agar, agitating, coagulating and inverting, to the placement and storage of the culture in incubators. This level of automation not only eliminates human error, substantially improving test accuracy, but it also increases processing capacity.

“Firstly, the system must be installed in an atmosphere completely free of bacteria. So, it is installed in a clean room. Only the air which passes through a 0.3-micron HEPA filter can enter the clean room, so the system is virtually free of bacteria. Due to this, the testing is done in an extremely clean environment.”

This system can perform the test 50% faster than conventional manual work, and can test 100 samples in two hours. All samples are managed using QR codes, eliminating human errors like mislabeling or taking the wrong sample. The current system is for detecting ordinary bacteria and E. coli in water, but it can be designed in a variety of configurations, so it could be used for other types of bacteria or various other testing applications.

“The system costs 25-35 million yen (US$250,000-350,000), but if users test a lot of samples, they can recover the cost in 5-10 years. In that case, this system could save users quite a lot of money. We do a lot of testing in the evening and at night, which has been a big burden on employees. This system has reduced that burden considerably, resulting in our staff being more cheerful and motivated. In other words, the best thing about this system is that it has made employees keen to become the driving force behind our company.”

Taihei is marketing this system to certified environmental surveyors and food manufacturers. They aim to sell 4-5 units during fiscal 2014. In the future, the company plans to extend sales to the global market.



tags: ,


DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.
DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.





Related posts :



Interview with Zahra Ghorrati: developing frameworks for human activity recognition using wearable sensors

and   08 Oct 2025
Zahra tells us more about her research on wearable technology.

Women in robotics you need to know about 2025

  06 Oct 2025
This global list celebrates women's impact across the robotics ecosystem and globe.

Robot Talk Episode 127 – Robots exploring other planets, with Frances Zhu

  03 Oct 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Frances Zhu from the Colorado School of Mines about intelligent robotic systems for space exploration.

Rethinking how robots move: Light and AI drive precise motion in soft robotic arm

  01 Oct 2025
Researchers at Rice University have developed a soft robotic arm capable of performing complex tasks.

RoboCup Logistics League: an interview with Alexander Ferrein, Till Hofmann and Wataru Uemura

and   25 Sep 2025
Find out more about the RoboCup league focused on production logistics and the planning.

Drones and Droids: a co-operative strategy game

  22 Sep 2025
Scottish Association for Marine Science is running a crowdfunding campaign for educational card game.

Call for AAAI educational AI videos

  22 Sep 2025
Submit your contributions by 30 November 2025.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence