Abstract: A process and sensor system with particular control of polarization of the interrogating light beams useful for determining a concentration of a targeted molecule M (such as glucose) within a given time period in a liquid sampling matrix through use of a Direct Infrared Laser Absorption Spectroscopy Technique.

Abstract: The concentration of a targeted molecule (such as glucose) in a liquid medium having at least one interfering molecule coexisting with the targeted molecule is detected by use of NDIR and a sampling technique in which an imposed location of a pulse beam from a signal source, an interference source and a reference source is varied over a plurality of sites of a sampling area.

Abstract: The concentration of a targeted molecule (such as glucose) in a liquid medium having at least one interfering molecule coexisting with the targeted molecule is detected by use of NDIR and a sampling technique in which an imposed location of a pulse beam from a signal source, an interference source and a reference source is varied over a plurality of sites of a sampling area.

Abstract: The concentration of a targeted molecule (such as glucose) in a liquid medium having at least one interfering molecule coexisting with the targeted molecule is detected by use of NDIR and a sampling technique in which an imposed location of a pulse beam from a signal source, an interference source and a reference source is varied over a plurality of sites of a sampling area.

Abstract: For determining concentration of targeted molecules MG in a liquid sample admixed with interfering molecules MJ which overlap their absorption band, a special NDIR sampling and calibration technique is employed. Besides the signal source, a reference and one or more interference sources are added. The selection of the wavelength for the interference sources enables its measured transmittance value to be used for deciding the validity of the calibration curve for molecules MG in the liquid sample. This value can further be used to adjust the calibration curve via a parameter linking the transmittances measured at the signal and interference wavelength channels in order to assure its validity.

Abstract: A glucose sensor measures glucose molecules in vivo through use of NDIR in which scattering noise is reduced and Absorption Interference Noise (AIN) is suppressed with a reflection technique. Electronics are used to provide an output of glucose concentration glucose in a liquid sampling matrix after it has been determined that a calibration curve is valid after signal processing is used to obtain average ratio values for reflected signal/reference channels and interference/reference channel obtained after a pulsed beam from signal, interference and reference sources is directed at an inclined angle to a normal of a spot of the liquid sampling matrix. The signal, interference and reference sources are each pulsed at a preselected frequency of at least N Hz which is sufficiently fast so that a given molecule of glucose or interfering molecule will not pass in and out of the liquid sampling matrix within the preselected frequency.

Abstract: Two coherent narrow bandwidth infrared beams, the Signal and the Reference, are incident at an angle and at high frequency sequentially and alternately at the same spot of a whole blood/body tissues sample. The Signal beam has a center wavelength which falls within an absorption line of glucose in whole blood (e.g. 1.409?). The Reference beam has a center wavelength which does not coincide with any known absorption lines of glucose in whole blood (e.g. 1,278?). Radiation emitted from the spot at which the beams penetrate into the sample and subsequently emanate from it after multiple scattering and spurious absorption effects is collected by a lens onto an infrared detector. The ratio of the voltage detected from the emerging Signal beam over that of the Reference beam is processed to yield the value of glucose concentration in the whole blood/body tissue sample.

Abstract: A miner's personal gas alarm can be mounted in a helmet powered by a rechargeable battery for a light or be self-contained. A visual indicator will generate an alarm when the concentration of gas detected by the gas sensor triggers an alarm condition. An audio alarm can also be generated by the alarm condition. The gas sensor is a non-dispersive infrared (“NDIR”) gas sensor. When the gas sensor detects methane, the alarm condition is triggered by either an abnormally high rate of increase of methane concentration level or by an elevated concentration of methane that is above approximately 500 ppm and substantially below a lower explosion limit of methane (e.g., approximately 10,000 ppm), and the gas sensor is recalibrated whenever the sample concentration of methane falls below an ambient threshold level of methane.

Abstract: A differential temperature source methodology for the design of a single beam NDIR gas sensor is advanced. This methodology uses a low and a high amplitude voltage cycle to drive a closely approximated Blackbody source for generating at different times two distinct detector outputs obtained from the same detector equipped the same narrow band pass filter but strategically designed for the detection of only a particular portion of the absorption band for the gas of interest. The ratio of the high amplitude cycle detector output over the low amplitude cycle detector output is used to calibrate such an NDIR gas sensor after it is normalized by a similar ratio when there is no target gas present in the sample chamber.

Abstract: A nasal air filtration device includes a pair of either planar or concave-convex filters, a support structure incorporating a pair of generally annular bases or sleeves for supporting the filters, and a bridge that couples the bases or sleeves to maintain them in a desired spaced-apart relation and to determine a desired angular relationship. The support structure is insertable into the nasal cavities to position the filters within corresponding nasal cavities. Flexible rims maintain the support structure and the filters in spaced-apart relation to the surrounding nasal wall. The filters may be placed within the bases at an angle with respect to the walls of the bases. Also, the filtration device may be flesh tone in color, thereby blending with the skin tone of the user. In some embodiments, a post structure is supplied for supplying a scent or aroma to the wearer.

Abstract: An Absorption Biased (AB) methodology for NDIR gas sensors is used with a single infrared source and a detector to detect a single gas of interest by using a motion device to change the path length between that of the signal and reference channels. As in the case of the AB designed NDIR gas sensor, the ratio of the output of the Signal channel, measured during location arrangement X, over that of the Reference channel, measured during location arrangement Y, will be used to process the gas measurement. Multiple gases of interest can be detected by using one detector to detect multiple gases and/or by locating a second detector to detect multiple gases more distant from the source than the first detector, thereby creating longer path lengths for the second detector.

Abstract: A holder for a nasal air filtration device or dilation device. A holder for a nasal device may be a thin, generally “Z” or “S” shaped device that holds a nasal device in a substantially secure and stable position. Each of a nasal device's nasal bases can be placed or secured on a placement limb of the holder while a connecting member of the nasal device can be secured on the opposite side of the holder from where the nasal bases are positioned along a vertical portion of the holder relative to the placement limbs. There may be securing notches in the holder that help secure a nasal device at generally the point where the bases of the nasal device attach to the connecting member of the nasal device. The notches may allow a nasal device to be securely attached to the holder.

Abstract: An NDIR gas sensor is housed within a mechanical housing made up of a header housing, a can mounted to the header housing, and a sample chamber mounted above the can. The can has a top surface with a pair of windows formed in it to allow radiation to enter and return from the sample chamber. An electronics module is mounted on a printed circuit board hermetically sealed within the can. A signal channel path length detected by the signal detector is greater than a reference channel path length detected by the reference detector and an absorption bias between the signal and reference outputs can be used to determine a gas concentration in the sample chamber. Both the signal detector and the reference detector have an identical narrow band pass filter with the same Center Wavelength (“CWL”), Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) and transmittance efficiency at the CWL.

Abstract: The construct of a specially designed air sampler and its function in order to carry out the Effortless Recalibration (ERB) procedure to an Absorption Biased (AB) designed NDIR gas sensor with the use of a Calibration Master is described.

Abstract: Two detectors of the same kind, each having an identical neutral band-pass filter to the target gas, are installed next to Signal channel and Reference channel detectors as pairs in an AB designed NDIR gas sensor layout, which are called Standard Signal channel detector and Standard Reference channel detector. “Standard” GAMMA is the ratio of Standard signal channel detector output over that of Standard Reference channel detector. “Standard” GAMMA is independent of the measurement Physics of NDIR gas sensors, is dependent only upon the performance characteristics of the sensor component and is also independent of the presence of any amount of target gas in the sample chamber. Consequently, “Standard” GAMMA can be used to proportionally correct and update GAMMA of the sensor as its components age over time thereby rendering such an AB designed NDIR gas sensor self-commissioning or staying accurate over time after initial calibration.

Abstract: An NDIR gas sensor takes advantage of a conventional packaging embodiment commonly used to house detectors of all kinds comprising a can, header and a dish sample chamber all welded together to form a single detector unit. The can forms the top, a hollowed out header body forms the middle and a custom dish sample chamber forms the bottom of a completely functioning NDIR gas sensor. Whereas the header body not only accommodates all the optoelectronic and optical parts on its top surface providing the required signal processing functions for the gas sensor, part of its body is excavated below to accommodate a custom dish sample chamber in communication with the gas outside whose concentration level is to be measured. A lens and windows are also fabricated on the top part of this header body so that infrared radiation can enter the dish sample chamber below and then be redirected back above for signal processing.

Abstract: Two detector elements are optically isolated by having them mounted (die-attached) on the same header so that the thermal tracking of the detectors respectively for the signal and reference channels is close to ideal. Furthermore, such an optical isolation technique or cross-interference suppression between the two detector elements mounted on the same header also allows the use of only one and the same narrow band pass interference filter covering both detectors. Thus the thermal tracking of the filters respectively for the signal and reference channels is also close to perfection as both channels share the same filter.

Abstract: A fire detector and method of using it generate a fire alarm through use of a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector once the smoke detector detects a threshold level of light obscuration for greater than a first pre-selected time period or a reduced threshold level of light obscuration for greater than a second pre-selected time period or the CO detector detects a rate of increase in CO concentration which exceeds a first preselected CO rate for a third pre-selected time period and the smoke detector detects the reduced threshold level of light obscuration or the rate of increase in CO concentration exceeds a second preselected CO rate for a fourth pre-selected time period.

Abstract: Two detector elements are optically isolated by having them mounted (die-attached) on the same header so that the thermal tracking of the detectors respectively for the signal and reference channels is close to ideal. Furthermore, such an optical isolation technique or cross-interference suppression between the two detector elements mounted on the same header also allows the use of only one and the same narrow band pass interference filter covering both detectors. Thus the thermal tracking of the filters respectively for the signal and reference channels is also close to perfection as both channels share the same filter.

Abstract: NDIR gas sensing methodology is advanced which renders the output of an NDIR gas sensor, when implemented with this new methodology, to remain stable or drift-free over time. Furthermore, the output of such a sensor will also be independent of the temperature of an environ wherein the sensor is in physical contact. This method utilizes the same narrow band-pass spectral filter for the detection of the gas of interest for both the signal and the reference channels. By so doing, the two channels always receive radiation of the same spectral content from the infrared source of the sensor convoluted with that from any external elements exposed to the sensor. While the same sample chamber through which the gas of interest to be detected flows is shared by the two channels, the detector package for the reference channel is hermetically sealed with 100% of the gas to be detected instead of 100% N2 as for the signal detector.