EPetri platform for continuous on-chip monitoring of microorganisms

We present ePetri, a self-imaging culture platform for continuous and long-term monitoring of microorganisms. The ePetri achieves on-chip microscopy by using complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors as a culture substrate. For motile microorganisms, we can perform pixel super-resolution image reconstruction by using the inherent motion of the cells, allowing high-resolution imaging without any optical element. We also demonstrate longitudinal imaging of Euglena gracilis cultured in ePetri with various image-based analysis for culture monitoring. As a miniaturized and automated culture monitoring platform, this ePetri technology can greatly improve studies and experiments.