The present invention relates to a colony counter and classifier for bacterial specimens on a petri dish. The device includes a housing having a tray which accepts the petri dish containing the bacteria colonies. A line scan camera is mounted within the housing above the tray. Upon actuation, a linear motor transports the tray across the scanning line of vision for the line scan camera. Simultaneously, a fiber optic illumination system illuminates the petri dish from its side opposite the camera. As the tray is transported by the linear motor, the line scan camera successively obtains an optical image of the petri dish containing the bacteria colonies. Each line scan has a width equal to one pixel and the resulting optical images from the line scan camera are combined together to form an overall optical image of high resolution. That image is stored utilizing a digital computer. The computer then analyzes the stored optical image to both identify and count the bacteria colonies. Advanced software is also used to differentiate between single colonies and two or more colonies which abut against each other.
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