This paper will discuss the use of pattern recognition techniques to identify and differentiate different particle types contained in a heterogeneous solution. This application involves imaging the microscopic particles in real-time as they flow in a solution, segregating each individual particle as a separate image, and then applying pattern recognition techniques to differentiate the individual particle types.A framework for discussing the complexity of a pattern recognition operation in this application will be proposed, along with some specific examples showing how this framework applies.
