Abstract: A spectrometer probe is disclosed herein including a shaft having a first end and a second end, a fiberoptic bundle located within the shaft, the fiberoptic bundle having a first end and a second end, a mirror, a transparent window, a prism, a prism support, an elastically deformable material, an index-matching elastomer, wherein the prism is completely encompassed by the index-matching elastomer, and a penetration cone operatively attached to the second end of the fiberoptic bundle, the mirror located within the second end of the shaft, wherein the transparent window is substantially parallel with the fiberoptic bundle and the shaft, wherein the prism is angled at approximately a 45 degree angle in relation to the window and the fiberoptic bundle, wherein the prism is flush with the prism support, wherein the elastically deformable material is biasly connected to the prism support.

Abstract: A method for mapping distribution of chemical compounds in soil is described herein including inserting a probe into the soil at multiple locations, obtaining spectroscopic data regarding the soil, sampling a core of soil adjacent to the probe locations, dividing the core into multiple depth increments, analyzing the core samples, matching each core sample with a corresponding depth increment of the probe insertions, obtaining data from the probe insertions, dividing the probe insertion data into training, validation, and test categories, resampling spectral variables from the probe insertion data to a wavelength interval longer than a native wavelength interval of an associated spectrometer, normalizing the probe insertion data on a spectrum by spectrum basis, utilizing a machine learning normalization algorithm, standardizing the spectral variables to a common scale by removing a mean and scaling to unit variance, and choosing a model utilizing the test set.

Abstract: A spectrometer probe is disclosed herein including a shaft having a first end and a second end, a fiberoptic bundle located within the shaft, the fiberoptic bundle having a first end and a second end, a mirror, a transparent window, a prism, a prism support, an elastically deformable material, an index-matching elastomer, wherein the prism is completely encompassed by the index-matching elastomer, and a penetration cone operatively attached to the second end of the fiberoptic bundle, the mirror located within the second end of the shaft, wherein the transparent window is substantially parallel with the fiberoptic bundle and the shaft, wherein the prism is angled at approximately a 45 degree angle in relation to the window and the fiberoptic bundle, wherein the prism is flush with the prism support, wherein the elastically deformable material is biasly connected to the prism support.

Abstract: A method for locating human remains in a clandestine or undocumented burial includes providing a spectroscopy assembly including a spectroscopy probe with a distal end to a location that may include human remains, wherein the spectroscopy assembly is configured to identify whether a salt of a fatty acid is present based on overtone wavelengths of the salt of the fatty acid; inserting the distal end of the spectroscopy probe into a testing spot at the location that may include human remains; and analyzing, with the spectroscopy assembly and after the step of inserting, whether the salt of the fatty acid having the overtone wavelengths is present in the location that may include human remains. The step of analyzing may include near-infrared spectroscopy, and the overtone wavelengths may be characterized by an absorption band contour extending from about 1670 nm to about 1800 nm.

Abstract: A method for locating human remains in a clandestine or undocumented burial includes providing a spectroscopy assembly including a spectroscopy probe with a distal end to a location that may include human remains, wherein the spectroscopy assembly is configured to identify whether a salt of a fatty acid is present based on overtone wavelengths of the salt of the fatty acid; inserting the distal end of the spectroscopy probe into a testing spot at the location that may include human remains; and analyzing, with the spectroscopy assembly and after the step of inserting, whether the salt of the fatty acid having the overtone wavelengths is present in the location that may include human remains. The step of analyzing may include near-infrared spectroscopy, and the overtone wavelengths may be characterized by an absorption band contour extending from about 1670 nm to about 1800 nm.

Abstract: A multi-path channel interface for computer input-output systems includes the ability to define and activate unbalanced groups of unidirectional communications sub-channels for a user application. Protocol independent exchange identifications permit not only unbalanced transmission groups but also allow user-controlled extensions for negotiating the values of transmission parameters at the time the transmission group is activated. When error correcting re-transmissions force the re-segmenting of data blocks, second level sub-segment indexing assure the proper order of delivery of the various segments and sub-segments. The exchange identifications include an identification of the user protocol being supported and thus permit interfacing with any user protocol.

Abstract: A multi-path channel interface for computer input-output systems includes the ability to define and activate unbalanced groups of unidirectional communications sub-channels for a user application. Protocol independent exchange identifications permit not only unbalanced transmission groups but also allow user-controlled extensions for negotiating the values of transmission parameters at the time the transmission group is activated. When error correcting re-transmissions force the re-segmenting of data blocks, second level sub-segment indexing assure the proper order of delivery of the various segments and sub-segments. The exchange identifications include an identification of the user protocol being supported and thus permit interfacing with any user protocol.