Abstract: In an embodiment, a sensor system and a method for monitoring properties of field soils and wastewater are described. In an embodiment, a sensor system comprises a cartridge system implemented in an integrated circuit. The cartridge system comprises a chemical sensor and a computer processor coupled to the chemical sensor. The chemical sensor is configured to receive a sample of a test material such as soil or wastewater. Based on the sample of the test material, the chemical sensor determines a measure of a property in the test material. The computer processor receives, from the chemical sensor, the measure of the property in the test material, and computes, based on, at least in part, the measure of the property in the test material, a concentration level of the property in the test material. Based on the concentration level of the property in the test material, the computer processor generates an output that includes the concentration level.

Abstract: A fluid supply device for a fluid chromatograph includes a storage container, a pump device, a filter, a guide and a heat dissipation device. The pump device supplies a mobile phase to a column. The storage container stores the pump device and the filter and has an intake port. The guide guides gas that has been introduced into the storage container through the intake port to the filter. A heat dissipation device dissipates heat generated from the pump device to the outside of the storage container together with the gas inside of the storage container. The storage container includes a door having a front surface directed forwardly of the fluid supply device. The intake port is provided at the door to be directed sidewardly of the fluid supply device.

Abstract: An apparatus for trace gas detection includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a sensor package including an ambient environmental parameter sensor and a gas sensor for trace gas detection. A trace gas detection system includes two such unmanned aerial vehicles and a ground station all adapted for monitoring ambient environmental parameters and trace gas detection.

Abstract: A system for testing a vapor product with a mouthpiece that has a non-circular cross section includes an adaptor coupled to a neck portion of a filter pad holder. The adaptor includes a nose to receive the neck portion and an adaptor body coupled to the nose. An opening is defined by the adaptor body and the nose, the opening extending through the adaptor body and the nose and configured to receive the neck portion. A sealing member is configured to be received by the adaptor and the filter pad holder. The sealing member includes a sealing member nose configured to be received by the neck portion, and a sealing member body coupled to the sealing member nose and configured to be received by the opening. The sealing member body defines an orifice, the orifice extending through the sealing member body.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes a light receiving element, a light emitting element, an integrated circuit, a lead frame, and a sealing member configured to seal these into a package. The lead frame includes at least one die pad portion and a plurality of terminal portions, the die pad portion includes a first region having a first thickness and a second region having a second thickness thinner than the first thickness, the integrated circuit is arranged on the second region of the die pad portion, the light emitting element is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of terminal portions, the light receiving element is electrically connected to the integrated circuit and is arranged on the opposite side to the light emitting element with the integrated circuit interposed therebetween, and the integrated circuit is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of terminal portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a consumable to be used for image formation. The image forming apparatus includes: a usage amount detector configured to detect a cumulative value of a usage amount of the consumable and a remaining amount of the consumable; a predictor configured to predict a period that allows use of the consumable based on the remaining amount detected by the usage amount detector; and a determination unit configured to generate a delivery request signal for prompting a delivery request for the consumable when the period that allows the use predicted by the predictor is smaller than a predetermined number-of-day threshold value. The image forming apparatus avoids performing processing for generating a delivery request signal by the determination unit after the start of the use of the image forming apparatus until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A microneedle probe for measuring a sap flow in a plant is disclosed, the microneedle probe including: a substrate; and a sensor unit which is installed on the substrate, generates heat, and measures a temperature that changes in accordance with a sap flow.

Abstract: A user manually operates the probe of a machine tool to move toward a workpiece. A movement history of the user's manual operation is recorded. The positional relationship between a workpiece and the probe is estimated based on the history of movement of the probe by the manual operation. The controller presents a candidate for the direction of the probe to be moved in the automatic measurement of the workpiece. The user inputs the movement direction of the probe with reference to content of the presentation.

Abstract: An analyser for collecting and analysing a breath condensate is disclosed. The analyser comprises a housing and a cartridge device (10). The device comprises a condensation zone (12) to condense exhaled breath from a subject and cooling means operably connected to the condensation zone (12). The device includes further discrete regions (13) for detection of analyte and measurement of analyte. The condensation zone (12) has a fluid exit connecting the condensation zone (12) to the discrete regions (13). The analyser includes a mouthpiece which is provided with a plurality of chambers configured to cause a change of 90° in the direction of the exhaled breath in order to trap saliva aerosols.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are described making use of a vibratory transducer and a reflector spaced from the vibratory transducer to form a cavity for receiving a fluid between the vibratory transducer and the reflector, wherein the vibratory transducer is vibrated to generate a wave in the cavity, which propagates through fluid in the cavity from a surface of the vibratory transducer and is being reflected by the reflector to generate a counter-propagating wave in the cavity. Based on the wave generated at the vibratory transducer and the counter-propagating wave generated at the reflector in combination, an indication of the energy returned to the vibratory transducer by the reflector is determined. One or more material properties of the fluid are determined based on the determined indication of the energy returned to the vibratory transducer.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus are provided for maintaining an ultra low oxygen concentration in a shipping container for the purpose of preventing spoilage of perishable food products. The system and apparatus may contain a composition of a mixture of gases including one or more of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and another inert gas, wherein the mixture of gases positively pressurizes the shipping container with an ultra low oxygen concentration. The system and apparatus may use one or more sensors to monitor the composition of the mixture of gases, and may use one or more controllers to release the compressed gases into the interior of the container. The controller may release the compressed gases at a variable rate of release sufficient to maintain the ultra low oxygen concentration and to ensure consistent concentrations of the mixture of gases with the container.

Abstract: A multi-stage irreversible sensor coupling is provided. A sensor body includes a sensor and has a sensor body wall and at least one sensor body engagement feature. A clip barrel is configured to slidably engage the sensor body and has at least one clip barrel engagement feature. A wedge clip is configured to slidably engage the clip barrel and has at least one wedge clip engagement feature that is configured to urge the at least one sensor body engagement feature into cooperative engagement with the at least one clip barrel engagement feature when the wedge clip, clip barrel, and sensor body are fully engaged together.

Abstract: It discloses a hypergravity experimental apparatus and experimental method for interaction between brittle deformation and ductile deformation. The experimental apparatus comprises an experiment module, a control device and a drive device; the drive device comprises a centrifuge for generating a hypergravity environment and a hydraulic press for generating extensional/compressional force in an experiment box; the control device comprises a control terminal, a control cabinet and a hydraulic control station for controlling the operation of the drive device; the experiment module is provided with an experiment box and a transmission device therein, and the transmission device converts a vertical lifting force generated by a hydraulic cylinder controlled by the hydraulic press in the drive device into a horizontal pushing-pulling force.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes one or more central processing unit (CPU) cores configured to cause a first ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic signals into a fluid moving in a pipe and the first or a second ultrasonic transducer to receive the ultrasonic signals from the fluid. The CPU core(s) also compute a first value indicative of at least one of a standard deviation and a time correlation based on the received ultrasonic signals. The CPU core(s) further determine a second value indicative of a volume of gas bubbles in the fluid using the computed first value indicative of the at least one of the standard deviation and time correlation.

Abstract: A humidity detection device includes a humidity sensor, a resistor connected to one-side of the humidity sensor, a first switching part connected to the resistor; a diode connected to the first switching part; a second switching part connected to the other-side of the humidity sensor, a potential difference generating part connected to the second switching part, a power supply supplying a voltage, and a control part applying the voltage as an alternating voltage to the humidity sensor by controlling the first switching part and the second switching part. The control part applies a current to the diode, the resistor and the humidity sensor in a first direction by connecting the second switching part to the ground, and applies the current to the resistor and the humidity sensor in a second direction, which is an opposite direction from the first direction, by connecting the first switching part to the ground.

Abstract: A method of identifying a gas is provided. The method includes providing a gas sensor device comprising at least two stacked metal oxide layers, wherein a change in conductance of the gas sensor device in a presence of a gas varies with a temperature of the stacked metal oxide layers. The method includes bringing the gas into proximity with the stacked metal oxide layers. The method also includes measuring the conductance of the gas sensor device when the gas is in proximity with the stacked layers at multiple temperatures to generate a temperature-conductance profile. The method also includes identifying a gas of interest based on the temperature-conductance profile.

Abstract: An in-situ square sample acquisition device and method for a bond contact test of a surrounding rock and a shotcrete layer are provided, the device includes a supporting shell, a fixing structure, hollow adjusting bolts and two borehole positioning frames, a guide hole is provided in a middle of the supporting shell, the frames are slidably fit in the guide hole, a plurality of positioning holes are provided in side walls of each of the frames, and the positioning holes in different frames are distributed in a staggered manner, four corners of the supporting shell are connected with four hollow adjusting bolts respectively, one end of each of the hollow adjusting bolts is fixedly provided with an adjusting nut, four fixing lugs are provided in four corners of each frame respectively, and the fixing structure includes four connecting bolts and four nuts.

Abstract: A flow rate assembly can include a housing having a measurement channel extending along the housing axis and through a portion of the housing between the first and second ends of the housing, an outer cup portion positioned at least partly within the housing, and a transducer positioned within the outer cup portion and sealed from fluid flow past the outer cup portion, the transducer having a width perpendicular to the housing axis and greater than the width of the measurement channel, the transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic signal and to direct the ultrasonic signal through the measurement channel.

Abstract: A gas sensor for sensing a gas in a humid environment includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer that is spaced apart from the first electrode layer, and a gas sensing layer that electrically interconnects the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The gas sensing layer is made of a hygroscopic electrically insulating material.

Abstract: A particle sensing device is disclosed for sensing particles entrained in a gas, distribution of particle sizes including a first size range (e.g. PM2.5) and a second size range (e.g. PM10), larger than the first size range. A thermophoretic impulse is applied to the entrained particles. The device has a a first sensor, downstream of the thermophoretic impulse region. The thermophoretic impulse, the flow of gas and gravity combine to cause at least some of the particles to follow respective trajectories within the sampling volume. An interception unit is interposed between the thermophoretic impulse region and the first sensor, to intercept the respective trajectories of particles of the second size range but not respective trajectories of particles of the first size range. The first sensor is located to intercept and detect the respective trajectories of particles of the first size range.