Abstract: A system for monitoring an environment can be used for monitoring concentrations of airborne contaminants in a plurality of process areas in a clean room. The system includes: a sampling device, configured to collect environmental samples from process areas and including a system sampling pipeline, the environmental sample including air; an analysis device, connected to an output end of the system sampling pipeline; an air supply device, connected to the system sampling pipeline and configured to provide a purge gas to the system sampling pipeline; and a humidification device, configured to provide water mist and connected between the air supply device and the system sampling pipeline.

Abstract: The invention concerns the field of container closure integrity (CCI) and the testing of CCI and relates to a device and a method for providing a displacement of a rubber stopper for leakage testing of a connection between the rubber stopper and a corresponding drug container which can be used for storing drugs under sterile conditions and which is closed by said rubber stopper.

Abstract: A sensor for the continuous in-situ analysis of an aerosol flow for measuring the mass of the micron/submicron particles suspended in the air flow, including an aeraulic sorter allowing the particles to be sorted according to their size with an impactor body with a cascade of one or more stages; at least one MEMS microbalance per stage, with an oscillating silicon membrane located on the impaction zone of the particles; processor connected to each MEMS microbalance to determine the mass of all the particles on the impaction zone; a system for cleaning the MEMS microbalances allowing the evacuation of the particles from the MEMS microbalances; means for driving the aerosol flow.

Abstract: A driving circuit for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope operating based on the Coriolis effect is provided. The driving circuit supplies drive signals to a mobile mass of the MEMS gyroscope to cause a driving movement of the mobile mass to oscillate at an oscillation frequency. The driving circuit includes an input stage, which receives at least one electrical quantity representing the driving movement and generates a drive signal based on the electrical quantity; a measurement stage, which measures an oscillation amplitude of the driving movement based on the drive signal; and a control stage, which generates the drive signals based on a feedback control of the oscillation amplitude. The measurement stage performs a measurement of a time interval during which the drive signal has a given relationship with an amplitude threshold, and measures the oscillation amplitude as a function of the time interval.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a housing that has a sensor element inserted therein and holds the sensor element such that a detection unit is positioned at the tip end thereof in the axial direction, and an element cover disposed coaxially with the tip end. A tip surface of the outer cover has a plurality of outer tip surface holes provided outward from positions opposing the outer periphery of an inner tip surface hole. The tip surface of the outer cover includes a central portion which protrudes towards the inner tip surface hole, an outer peripheral portion in which the outer tip surface holes are formed and which is positioned farther toward the tip end than is the central portion, and an inclined surface connects the central portion to the outer tip surface holes.

Abstract: A breath analyte capture device includes a breath input port into which a user exhales a breath sample, and a cartridge insertion port for receiving a disposable cartridge containing an interactant. During exhalation of a breath sample, at least a portion of the breath sample is routed through the cartridge such that the analyte (such as breath acetone) is captured by the interactant. In some embodiments, the concentration of the analyte in the breath sample is measured by monitoring a chemical reaction that occurs in the disposable cartridge. The chemical reaction may be monitored by illuminating the cartridge at each of multiple light wavelengths while measuring reflected light.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention provides a soft electronic component having a signal electrode and one or more shielding electrodes overlapping the signal electrode to shield the signal electrode, wherein the soft electronic component is arranged to provide one or more signal-coupling regions in which the signal electrode is exposed by the one or more shielding electrodes to allow capacitive coupling of the signal electrode to a signal electrode of another component, wherein the one or more shielding electrodes are arranged to provide one or more shield-coupling regions to allow the capacitive coupling of a shielding electrode to the other component, and wherein the coupling region is covered by a dielectric material.

Abstract: A system and process for collecting aerosol matter samples is disclosed. The system includes a circular sample cartridge holder that contains a plurality of sample cartridges. Each sample cartridge contains a filter media for collecting aerosol matter samples. The system further includes a docking device for receiving an aerosol-generating system. The docking device places the aerosol-generating system in engagement with one of the sample cartridges. The aerosol matter collecting system further includes an aerosol withdrawing device that causes a controlled puff volume to flow through a sample cartridge for collecting an aerosol matter sample. The system can be completely automated and can collect samples on a puff by puff basis. The system and process are well suited to analyzing aerosols collected heated tobacco product system, but can also be used to test smoking articles, such as cigarettes, or any other device or product such as e cigarette that produces an aerosol.

Abstract: A method for surface characterization of a porous solid or powder sample using flowing gas includes a controller that controls mass flow of a carrier gas and an adsorptive gas to form a mixture having a target concentration of the adsorptive gas over the sample, determining adsorptive gas concentration based on signals from a detector disposed downstream of the sample, automatically repeating the controlling and determining steps for a plurality of different target concentrations, and generating an isotherm for the sample based on the adsorptive gas concentration for the plurality of different target concentrations. The method may include immersing the sample in liquid nitrogen to cool the sample for all, or at least a portion of each of the different target concentrations. The target concentrations may vary from less than 5% to greater than 95%, and may vary in a stepwise manner.

Abstract: Disclosed are a pin hole inspection apparatus and method for determining whether or not the vacuum-packed state of a Front Opening Shipping Box (FOSB) vacuum-packed with film paper is defective. The pin hole inspection apparatus includes a receiving unit configured such that the FOSB vacuum-packed with the film paper is received thereon and supported thereby, an adsorption unit vacuum-adsorbed onto a target part of the film paper, configured to surround the FOSB received on and supported by the receiving unit, so as to pull the film paper, a displacement measurement unit configured to measure a degree of swelling of the film paper pulled through the adsorption unit, and a processing unit configured to determine whether or not a pin hole is generated by comparing a measurement displacement value acquired through the displacement measurement unit with a pre-stored reference displacement value.

Abstract: A particulate matter (PM) sensor circuit arrangement includes a PM sensor. The sensor includes, integral therewith, a PM sensor resistor, a resistive temperature device (RTD) resistor, and a heater resistor. The PM sensor includes four terminal pins, of which a) a first terminal pin is connected to one terminal of the PM sensor resistor; a second terminal pin is connected to one terminal side of said RTD resistor; c) a third terminal pin being connected to one terminal of a heater resistor; and d) a fourth common terminal pin is connected to respective opposite terminals of the PM sensor resistor, RTD resistor, and heater resistor to the first, second, and third terminal pins. The fourth common terminal pin is operationally connected to a boost or voltage supply and the first pin is connected to a low side line.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for sampling air-borne particles. According to one embodiment a nozzle is used to generate a jet of fog that includes a gas and liquid droplets of different sizes. The jet of fog is formed by the nozzle in a way to cause particles in the air surrounding the jet of fog to be drawn into the jet of fog and to further cause the particles to aggregate with the liquid droplets inside the jet of fog. A sample collecting surface is located opposite and spaced apart from an outlet of the nozzle. The sample collecting surface is preferably sloped so that the liquid sample can be forced by gravity off the collecting surface and into a vial or other liquid sample container. Inside the jet of fog and on the sample collection surface the liquid droplets merge with one another to form larger sized droplets that are collectable in the liquid sample container.

Abstract: A sensor system (100) or a sensing method minimizes the loss of aroma chemicals or other analytes in a sample gas while controlling the temperature and humidity of the sample gas. The system (100) may employ a humidifier (120) that adds water vapor to sample gas to provide a known water content, e.g., a saturated humidity at a known temperature. A sensing unit (130) may accurately measure the composition of the sample gas having a known water content, e.g., at a higher known temperature.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a probe includes a first facet associated with a first pressure port operable to measure a first wind pressure, a second facet associated with a second pressure port operable to measure a second wind pressure, and a third facet associated with a third pressure port operable to measure a third wind pressure. The second facet is adjacent to the first facet and the third facet adjacent to the second facet. The probe further includes a fourth facet adjacent to the third facet and a fifth facet adjacent to the fourth facet and to the first facet. The first facet, the second facet, the third facet, the fourth facet, and the fifth facet are located between a first end portion and a second end portion of the probe.

Abstract: A volume measurement system and method for a closed water-filled karst cave, including a water collecting device, concentration tester and control system. The control system is connected to the water collecting device by a connecting piece. The water collecting device is a container with a top closed and bottom open. The water collecting device top is a piston. The piston is connected to a propulsion rod, and propulsion rod is controlled by control system to extend or retract, so as to realize the forward or backward movement of the piston. An openable and closeable placement table is hinged to the water collecting device's inner wall. The placement table is connected to piston, the placement table moves upward when piston is raised, and placement table moves downward when piston is lowered. The placement table is configured to accommodate a chemical substance. The concentration tester is configured to detect the solution's concentration.

Abstract: Owners of sump pumps often have no way of identifying a sump pump is failing unless they are home to witness a failing sump pump in real-time. Current solutions to this issue rely on the use of expensive electronics to help alert the owner of a failing sump pump. The present disclosure offers an inexpensive solution to extend a time in which an owner can confirm the sump pump has failed or is about to fail. Namely, the present disclosure features a level indicator which retains some water in the event the water rises above a predetermined level.

Abstract: A flexible lid seal detector incorporates a compression body having a cavity including a sensor. The detector has a distal end comprising a plurality of concentric compression rings surrounding the cavity. An outer-most ring is defined by outer and inner shaping rims. The distal end includes a recessed lid deflection volume defined by the inner rim and a distal surface of the compression body. The deflection volume may receive a portion of a flexible lid when at least one of the rings applies a compressive force thereto, thereby deforming the lid into the deflection volume. The deflection volume may include a second compression ring and its respective inner and outer shaping rims. A seal detector system may include the detector with a controller configured to receive data from the sensor for a predetermined period of time while the detector applies the compressive force to the lid.

Abstract: A liquid extraction control method includes: acquiring a current temperature value of liquid to be extracted; determining whether the current temperature value is within a predetermined temperature value range; opening a liquid flow channel when the current temperature value is within the predetermined temperature range, and closing the liquid flow channel when the current temperature value is outside the predetermined temperature range. The temperature range of the liquid to be extracted can therefore be controlled, reducing probability of injuries caused by overly hot or cold liquid through a straw, and facilitating control of the temperature and extraction amount suitable for users, so as to achieve smart and quantitative fluid extraction.

Abstract: Described herein are methods to determine an amount of shale inhibitor in drilling fluids used in wellbore operations. In some cases, methods include receiving a sample of a drilling fluid, removing solids from the sample to produce a solids-free fluid, contacting the solids-free fluid with an anion to produce a precipitate in a test solution, and determining an amount of an amine-based shale inhibitor within the sample by measuring the amount of the precipitate in the test solution.

Abstract: A device and method for calibrating a NO delivery device using NO and NO2 measurements, without using a known standard.