Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a first particle sensor, a second particle sensor and a device for characterisation of one or more particles in a fluid sample comprising a first particle sensor and/or at least one second particle sensor. A method for characterising one or more particles in a fluid sample is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of selectively combining particulate material, comprising: (i) providing a layer of particulate material to a part bed; (ii) providing radiation to sinter a portion of the material of the layer; (iii) providing a further layer of particulate material overlying the prior layer of particulate material including the previously sintered portion of material; (iv) providing radiation to sinter a further portion of the material within the overlying further layer and to sinter said further portion with the previously sintered portion of material in the prior layer; (v) successively repeating blocks (iii) and (iv) to form a three-dimensional object; and wherein at least some of the layers of particulate material are pre-heated with a heater prior to sintering a portion of the material of the respective layer, the heater being configured to move relative to, and proximate, the particulate material.

Abstract: A plasma treatment apparatus, comprising a housing defining a void (13); a source of ionised gas plasma (14) in communication with the void; and agitation apparatus (12) arranged to agitate contents of the void. The plasma can typically be generated at ambient pressure from the ambient air in the void. The apparatus can be used, in particular, for the treatment of materials comprising many small components, such as seeds, granular material, plastic beads and the like.

Abstract: A method of selectively combining particulate material, comprising: (i) providing a layer of particulate material to a part bed; (ii) providing radiation to sinter a portion of the material of the layer; (iii) providing a further layer of particulate material overlying the prior layer of particulate material including the previously sintered portion of material; (iv) providing radiation to sinter a further portion of the material within the overlying further layer and to sinter said further portion with the previously sintered portion of material in the prior layer; (v) successively repeating blocks (iii) and (iv) to form a three-dimensional object; and wherein at least some of the layers of particulate material are pre-heated with a heater prior to sintering a portion of the material of the respective layer, the heater being configured to move relative to, and proximate, the particulate material.

Abstract: A method of assembling an opto-physiological (OP) sensor comprises: (i) modelling the opto-physiological properties of at least one body tissue type to be monitored; (ii) determining, through application of the model, an optimal optical design for an opto-physiological (OP) sensor operable to monitor the opto-physiological properties of the at least one body tissue type; and (iii) making the OP sensor to the determined optical design. The optimal optical design for the OP sensor comprises: (i) determining the optimum separation of each of a plurality of light sources from a photodetector, based on modelled optical path lengths for light travelling from each light source, through the body tissue type to be monitored, to the photodetector; and (ii) locating light sources of different wavelengths at different distances from the photodetector.

Abstract: A railway points arrangement 10 for a railway track junction comprises at least first and second pairs of longitudinally-extending, parallel-spaced static stock rails 12, 14, defining respectively a first route and a second route, and a pair of longitudinally-extending, parallel-spaced switch rails 16 which are movable between a first position in alignment with the first pair of stock rails 12 to select the first route and a second position in alignment with the second pair of stock rails 14 to select the second route. At least one of the movable switch rails 16a cooperates with at least one stock rail 12, 14 of each of the first and second pairs of stock rails 12, 14 when the movable switch rails 16 are in the first and second positions, and the at least one switch rail 16 and the at least one stock rail 12, 14 are shaped to define a mating profile 50 which aligns the switch rail 16 and stock rail 12, 14 and prevents transverse movement of the switch rail 16 relative to the stock rail 12, 14.

Abstract: The present invention provides assay devices having a unitary body with an exterior surface, the unitary body being substantially transparent to visible light and formed from a material having a refractive index in the range 1.26 to 1.40, the refractive index being measured at 20° C. with light of wavelength 589 nm, and wherein the unitary body is formed from a hydrophobic material, and at least two capillary bores extending internally along the unitary body, wherein at least a portion of the surface of each capillary bore includes a hydrophilic layer for retaining an assay reagent, and wherein the hydrophilic layer is also substantially transparent to visible light to allow optical interrogation of the capillary bores through the capillary wall. The present invention also provides assay systems including such assay devices, methods of performing an assay using such assay devices and method of method for manufacturing such assay devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for the absolute measurement of a two dimensional optical path distribution comprising: a light source (4) for illuminating an object (26) with light having a plurality of wavelengths: an interferometer (12) for forming an image of at least part of the object, which image comprises a broad band interferogram; a hyperspectral imager (30) in optical communication with the interferometer for spectrally separating the broad band interferogram into a plurality of narrow band two dimensional interferograms (72, 74, 76); a register (38) for spatially registering the narrow band interferograms; an extractor for extracting one dimensional intensity signals from corresponding pixels in each narrow band interferogram; and a calculator (100) for calculating the frequency for each point on the object from a one dimensional intensity signal associated with that point.

Abstract: A method of selectively combining particulate material, comprising: (i) providing a layer of particulate material to a part bed; (ii) providing radiation to sinter a portion of the material of the layer; (iii) providing a further layer of particulate material overlying the prior layer of particulate material including the previously sintered portion of material; (iv) providing radiation to sinter a further portion of the material within the overlying further layer and to sinter said further portion with the previously sintered portion of material in the prior layer; (v) successively repeating blocks (iii) and (iv) to form a three-dimensional object; and wherein at least some of the layers of particulate material are pre-heated with a heater prior to sintering a portion of the material of the respective layer, the heater being configured to move relative to, and proximate, the particulate material.

Abstract: A suspension system for a train vehicle includes at least one inerter to minimize track wear. Track wear may be measured by direct measures such as wear work, or indirect measures such as yaw stiffness. “Minimizing” track wear means that such measures are reduced below values which are achievable with conventional technology while maintaining acceptable values of other performance metrics, such as ride comfort or least damping ratio. The suspension system may comprise at least one damper connected in series with the at least one inerter. The suspension system may be the primary or the secondary suspension system of a train vehicle.

Abstract: An arrangement comprising a plurality of attenuators for attenuating acoustic waves, each attenuator of the plurality of attenuators comprising: a first body defining a cavity therein and at least one open aperture extending across a portion of the first body, the first body being configured to attenuate acoustic waves over a resonant frequency band.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assisting in the optimization of a complex, hierarchical data structure, such as a process flow model, comprising a plurality of elements such as tasks to be carried out, each element having data dependency upon other elements within the hierarchy. The apparatus includes a database for maintaining a data set incorporating a plurality of dependency structure matrices, each dependency structure matrix corresponding to one hierarchical level in the data set; display means for displaying, to the user, a representation of said dependency structure matrices; user input means for effecting the change of a data dependency of a selected element at a selected level in said hierarchy; and data manipulation means for effecting consequential changes in the data set representing said changes in dependency of elements throughout the hierarchical structure.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including an exhaust arrangement comprises a first exhaust duct and a second exhaust duct. A valve arrangement preferably comprising separate first and second exhaust valves associated with each cylinder, to selectively direct exhaust from engine to the first exhaust duct during a first exhaust period, and to the second exhaust duct during a subsequent second exhaust period. A turbine having an inlet is connected to the first exhaust duct; and a compressor drivingly connected to and driven by the turbine, has an inlet connected to second duct. The compressor, driven by the turbine extracting energy from the exhaust, reduces the back pressure in the exhaust system reducing pumping losses, with the second duct bypassing the turbine in the second exhaust period such that the turbine also does not increase the exhaust back pressure at least during the main second exhaust phase.

Abstract: A method of selectively combining particulate material, for example plastics material by sintering, comprises providing a layer of particulate material, providing radiation, for example using a radiation source over the layer, and varying the absorption of the provided radiation across a selected surface portion of the layer to combine a portion of the material of the layer. The method may comprise varying radiation absorption by varying the intensity of the radiation incident on the surface portion of the layer, or alternatively may comprise varying the radiation absorptive properties of the particulate material over the selected surface portion of the layer, for example by printing a radiation absorbent material onto the surface portion.

Abstract: A method of forming granules, the method including forming a suspension of a nanopowder such as a nano zirconia powder containing yttria. The powder is formed from a suspension, and freon is added directly to the suspension as an additive. The suspension is then granulated by spray freeze drying, and the freon subsequently removed by heat treatment. The voids left by the vacated freon provide meso, micro and macro flaws or structural defects in the granules.

Abstract: A method for forming an object, including providing at least a first material having a melting point at a first temperature and a second material having a melting point at a second temperature; heating at least a portion of the first and second materials above the first and second temperatures to form a substantially molten alloy, the molten alloy having a solidifying point at a third temperature, the third temperature being less than the first temperature and the second temperature; and providing substantially solid further material to at least a portion of the molten alloy, the further material having a melting point at a temperature greater than the third temperature.

Abstract: A method for forming an object, including providing at least a first material having a melting point at a first temperature and a second material having a melting point at a second temperature; heating at least a portion of the first and second materials above the first and second temperatures to form a substantially molten alloy, the molten alloy having a solidifying point at a third temperature, the third temperature being less than the first temperature and the second temperature; and providing substantially solid further material to at least a portion of the molten alloy, the further material having a melting point at a temperature greater than the third temperature.

Abstract: A method of selectively combining particulate material, for example plastics material by sintering, comprises providing a layer of particulate material, providing radiation, for example using a radiation source over the layer, and varying the absorption of the provided radiation across a selected surface portion of the layer to combine a portion of the material of the layer. The method may comprise varying radiation absorption by varying the intensity of the radiation incident on the surface portion of the layer, or alternatively may comprise varying the radiation absorptive properties of the particulate material over the selected surface portion of the layer, for example by printing a radiation absorbent material onto the surface portion.

Abstract: An inorganic pigment, the pigment comprising a compound which is an oxysulphide or oxyselenide of tin and a metal chosen from niobium or tantalum. The pigments are brightly colored in the color range from yellow, through orange to red, and are especially suitable for the coloration of glass and plastic substrates. Methods for the production of the pigments are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of automatically translating modeling language code to hardware language code and a code translator. The modeling language code is parsed to extract values associated with predetermined ones of a plurality of constructs to generate parsed modeling language code; and a transformation block is applied to the parsed modeling language code. The transformation block is adapted to convert the parsed modeling language code into hardware language code.