Protos 3 is a revolutionary automated colony counter and chromogenic identification system. Using its sensitive CCD camera and unique lighting coupled with powerful analysis software, Protos 3 counts colonies in seconds and automatically identifies microbial species by their color on chromogenic plates. This provides accurate, objective and fully traceable results.

The compact Protos 3 attaches via USB to a computer, where microbiologists can input their plate identification and with the one-click colony counting and chromogenic ID software can rapidly analyze a wide range of plate types. The count results can be automatically transferred to Excel where the count, plate ID and images can be saved. This GLP compliant process, with its full audit trail eliminates transcription errors to provide accurate, objective data, which can be reviewed at any time and used to produce professional reports.

Protos 3 can be used with both small and large plates (up to 150mm) to read a range of format types including spiral, pour, spread and dilution series plates. The system’s camera is so sensitive, it can routinely detect colonies as small as 43 microns and the unique LED lighting system and Protos 3 software allows analysis of an infinite number of colonies on one plate in seconds, making this an ideal system for use in busy food and environmental microbiology laboratories.

Key Features:

Fully traceable results

• Can input plate identification using 1D or 2D barcode
• Automatic capability to transfer and print results and images
• Saves counts to Excel to eliminate keying errors
• Saves images in TIFF, Excel and report formats
• Archives results in accessible SQL database

Increases throughput

• Accurately detects colonies as small as 0.043 mm
• Precisely counts an infinite number of individual colonies in seconds
• Analyzes 75 plates in 5 minutes

Excellent detection performance

• True color recognition using unique 3 color lighting
• Identifies multiple colony colors on one plate
• Analyzes all plate colors with a choice of light and dark backgrounds
• Classifies by size, color and shape
• Objectively identifies species by color on CHROMagar™

Reproducible results

• Provides objective color results
• Eliminates keying errors with direct results transfer
• Automatically identifies species on chromogenic plates

Simple to use

• Intuitive software
• Corrects for agar defects, touching colonies or sample debris
• Marks colonies with symbols to show each counted
• Easy to exclude areas from a count
• Adjustable counting area

Multiple plate reading functions

• Pour plates
• Spiral plates
• Multi-sector plates
• Gridded plates
• Streak plates
• Dilution series plates
• Species identification
• Large plates (up to 150mm)

Specs:

Construction

Ergonomic housing constructed in high density foam Integral CCD camera and lens

Light shield

2 sliding doors to prevent excessive ambient light

Camera

1.4m pixel scientific grade CCD camera USB integral camera with f1.2 lens

Resolution

For standard 90mm plates, smallest detectable colony is 43 microns

Imaging

3 channel capture for color images

Lighting

Unique 3 channel (red, green, blue) LED lighting (patent pending) Multi-array LED lighting (computer controlled) Lower lighting with upper reflective lighting for all applications

Detection modes

Colony counting and Chromogenic ID

Count modes

Separation of touching colonies, exclusion areas, color mode, shape mode, size mode

Software

Win7 compatible

Database

SQL database stores all data and image locations

Dimensions

450mm(h) x 500mm(d) x 400mm(w)

Weight

20 kg