Most methods for establishing optimum conditions for fermentations (temperature, pH, etc.) rely on multiple growth experiments using single sets of  conditions. For example, using five degree intervals for multiple experiments to find the “optimum” temperature may miss the maximum condition. Lower test intervals increase the precision at considerable cost in money, labor and time.
    We report a method for determining the kinetics of growth under computer generated changing conditions that allows precise determination of one or more physiologic parameters in a single experiment. The method relies on detecting and responding to changes in growth rate under computer generated changed conditions, e.g., as temperature rises an inflection point in rate stops the heating and can change to assessing response to pH change or one of a number of other conditions. Thus, within few generations, the system reports interactions among parameters.
    The kinetic response measurement may be optical or other condition responding proportionally to change in the production of the desired material such as cells, metabolite production or utilization, quorum sensing parameters, etc. For example, base added to neutralize acid production by  homofermentative cocci is directly proportional to growth. By setting a minimum rate, tolerance to adverse conditions (e.g., temperatures, inhibitors, osmolarity, light) may be included in the single experiment.
    Among many potential uses of such a kinetic based system, examples include: determining fermentation parameters for commercial fermentations, teaching kinetics of microbial growth and physiology, training in fermentation techniques, and research into the response of microbes to changing conditions.