Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for detecting aerosols. The systems and methods can be used to detect harmful aerosols, such as, bio-aerosols.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tray transfer system (TTS). This system is designed to automatically transfer trays of mail between dollies and conveyor belts. The TTS is an efficient method for shipping, moving, storing, loading, and unloading mail trays. It allows mail-processing centers to physically and temporally separate the process of sorting mail and the process of moving mail into automation compatible trays (ACT).

Abstract: A bundle handling device is provided that includes a frame, a body, a scoop, a ramp and a controller. The body is mounted to the frame and includes a first opening through which bundles are loaded and a second opening through which bundles are discharged. The scoop and the ramp are mounted to the body. The scoop covers a substantial portion of the second opening, while the ramp covers the remaining portion. The controller is coupled to a plurality of actuators and a plurality of sensors, and controls the rotation of the body, the opening and closing of the scoop and the opening and closing of the ramp, in order to discharge a metered portion of bundles through the second opening.

Abstract: A method for sorting objects using a continuous loop conveyor sorting system having two or more feeders. In one embodiment, the method includes sorting a batch of objects to form a first group of objects and a second group of objects, using a first feeder to feed all of the objects from the first group onto the conveyor, using a second feeder to feed all of the objects from the second group onto the conveyor, removing the objects from the first group from the conveyor prior to the any of the objects reaching the point at which the second feeder feeds objects onto the conveyor, and removing the objects from the second group from the conveyor prior to the any of the objects reaching the point at which the first feeder feeds objects onto the conveyor.

Abstract: An automated flats handling system is provided that includes mail shuttles, a tray unloading section, a quality control area, a shuttle tilter, a shuttle return section and a stacker/loader. The tray unloading section has a conveyor and unloads mail from a standard tray into one of the shuttles. The quality control area also has a conveyor and facilitates grooming the mail in the shuttle. The shuttle tilter tilts each shuttle prior to unloading the mail from the shuttle. The shuttle return section also has a conveyor and returns the shuttles to the tray unloading section. The stacker/loader cooperates with the shuttle tilter and unloads the mail from the shuttles, creates a mail stack from the unloaded mail, and loads a portion of the mail stack into an automation compatible tray.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling the path of oscillatory travel of a device within a two-axis system. A device, such as a camera, is held in a two axis gimbal system having motors for driving the azimuth and pitch axes. A two degree-of-freedom gyroscope is fixed to the case of the device. A first derivative circuit is interposed between a first input port for a loop for controlling device movement with respect to a first axis and a second input port for a loop for controlling device movement with respect to a second axis. Likewise, a second derivative circuit is interposed between the two input ports so that a periodic signal driving with respect to one axis generates a derivative function for driving with respect to the cross-axis. The cross axis signal is scaled to counteract the direct torquing of the gyro rotor that otherwise prevents smooth oscillatory slewing or scanning by the device.