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[on:]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to make a bacteria incubator(it is basically the same as a egg incubator) which would include a thermometer that would send readings to a computer and then display the temp on a led number board, it would change the heat from inputs from the computer and as an extra it would be nice if there could be a webcam that looked at the bottom of the incubator for recording growth.

[Reply #1 on:]

Would you like this topic merged with...
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,93497.html

[Reply #2 on:]

@awol
Question is different,so nay?

I would start with a wooden box consisting of 2 compartments:
- lower compartment holds the webcam looking up.
- Then there is a wooden layer with a hole on which the Petri dish stands.
- above the dish is a small 15/25 ? Watt lamp both to iluminate and to heat the box.

The temperature is monitored by an Arduino of course and if it is getting too hot the lamp is swtched off 
If temp is low the lamp is switched on

The box is encapsulated in EPS foam for isolation.

If the bacteria are chemoautotrophs (only live in the dark) you must find another way to heat the box.

succes.

[Reply #3 on:]

thanks rob and no they are 2 different things.

i will try and see if i can make one

[Reply #4 on:]

You can also buy a 2nd hand fridge and just don't clean it for a few months and bacteria will grow (almost) automatically

More seriously, an old fridge is a good insulated box and it has plenty room to build in a heating element and a webcam and a lot of sensors

[Reply #5 on:]

If your goal is only to make a temperature regulated incubator then it would be a lot easier to just use a bi-metal or brass wafer thermostat.

Something you'll also want to watch out for is drying out your bacteria. With the egg incubator I built I continually found it difficult keeping the humidity high; if I ever do that again I'll add a power misting system.

[Reply #6 on:]

If your goal is only to make a temperature regulated incubator then it would be a lot easier to just use a bi-metal or brass wafer thermostat.

Something you'll also want to watch out for is drying out your bacteria. With the egg incubator I built I continually found it difficult keeping the humidity high; if I ever do that again I'll add a power misting system.

Yeah I know a lot of people put bowls of water in the middle to keep the humidity high. Also I would like to make it controlled by an Arduino running a program that you could say you want the temp between 2 numbers and it would keep it there using a thermometer shield for the Arduino and some form of heating controlled by the Arduino.

[Reply #7 on:]

A good sensor might be the DHT22 which can do temperature and humidity  - http://arduino.cc/playground/Main/DHTLib -