DIGITAL TOOLS
Online Automatic Cell-Counting Service
The Online Automatic Cell-Counting Service is an integrated digital tool for determining the number of Chlorella vulgaris microalgal cells in microscope images. The service was developed within the ALGEBRA project and is available online at:
http://chaos.athenarc.gr:31304/
The platform allows users to upload one or more microscope images and automatically receive an annotated image containing the model prediction, together with information on the number of detected cells.
The service uses modern deep-learning models trained on specialised datasets:
- YOLOv8 for object detection
- U-NET for semantic segmentation
- SAM2 (Segment Anything Model 2) for mask generation and more accurate cell identification
For security purposes, users must create a temporary 15-minute access token using the “Create Token” option before using the service. The token is then used to call the selected model.
The approach is applied exclusively to Chlorella vulgaris because its spherical cell morphology (2-10 μm) enables reliable cell counting.
This online service automates a traditionally time-consuming and error-prone laboratory procedure, transforming cell counting into a rapid, reproducible, and objective digital process. It contributes to the development of smart cultivation systems and supports biotechnology and bioremediation applications.
