Abstract: Embodiments of a sensor device, method and system employ a multiplicity of environmental sensors as a single monitoring and alerting mechanism, operable to provide a profile of any contaminant in terms of various gases and particles in the atmosphere, quantified in terms of relative concentrations. In various embodiments, the sensor device can comprise hardware and firmware elements, including an electronic control system, a case, a shield and a cover. The environmental sensors can be secured as part of the electronic control system and the shield can be formed so as to facilitate proper channeling of air and sound for effective operation.

Abstract: A nephelometer that measures turbidity of low volume suspensions using measurements of light transmitted through and/or scattered by the sample. The sample suspension is placed in a tiered cuvette adapted to facilitate measuring the turbidity of low volume samples. The lower portion of the cuvette has smaller dimensions, in horizontal cross section, than the top portion. Both lower and upper portions have angled surfaces. The lower, smaller portion of the cuvette is interrogated by the nephelometer.

Abstract: Provided is an optical unit that radiates a coherent light such that the coherent light is incident in a target region of speckle image capturing in accordance with a pattern that includes a bright region and a dark region located uniformly in at least one direction in the target region. Provided is a measurement system including: an optical unit that radiates a coherent light such that the coherent light is incident in a target region in accordance with a pattern that includes a bright region and a dark region located uniformly in at least one direction in the target region; a light reception unit that receives a reflected light of the coherent light in the target region; and an imaging unit that captures an image of a speckle included in the reflected light.

Abstract: A method for testing includes capturing a sequence of video images of a sample comprising semen. The sequence of video images is analyzed by a processor so as to compute and output a motile sperm concentration of the sample.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring a concentration of a gas in a container having at least one flexible or variable side or wall. The system and method comprising creating a determinable optical path length through the container having a shape. Positioning a light source head and a detector head against at least one of the least one flexible or variable side or wall. Transmitting a light signal between the light source head and the detector head through the determinable optical path length. Determining the concentration of the gas in the container based on detected light and the determinable optical path length.

Abstract: An optical particle counter determines the velocity of particles passing through a particle detection zone, and thereby the velocity of gas flow, from both the measured time of flight of discrete particles and also the size of intensity peaks of scattered light. This is used to determine particle concentration and may be used to control an optional fan.

Abstract: A method for imaging 1-D nanomaterials is provided. The method includes: providing a 1-D nanomaterials sample; immersing the 1-D nanomaterials sample in a liquid; illuminating the 1-D nanomaterials sample by a first incident light and a second incident light to cause resonance Rayleigh scattering, wherein the first incident light and the second incident light are not parallel to each other; and acquiring a resonance Rayleigh scattering image of the 1-D nanomaterials sample with a microscope.

Abstract: A sample holder includes a slide, containing a depression in a surface of the slide. A cover slip is fixed to the slide over the depression so as to define a sample chamber, while leaving a loading area of the depression uncovered, so that a liquid sample deposited in the loading area is drawn into the sample chamber by capillary action.

Abstract: An installation (2) for optically inspecting containers (3) includes a support table (7) for containers, which table has a slide plate (8) on which the bottom of a container stands. The slide plate (8) includes a portion (18) that is movable under the action of an actuator (19) to move the movable portion (18) between a transfer position in which the movable portion is flush with the table, and an inspection position in which the movable portion (18) is set back relative to the slide plate (8). A light source (14) and a light sensor (15) are positioned so that, in the inspection position of the movable portion, the sensor can receive a light beam propagating in an inspection volume (V) in which there is situated at least a portion of the bottom (4) of the container spaced apart from the slide plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for dental confocal imaging comprises an illumination module for generating an array of light beams, an optics system for confocal focusing of the array of light beams and a probe head with a light-guiding part having an entrance face and an exit face. The illumination module, the optics system and the probe head are arranged such that the array of light beams from the illumination module passes through the optics system, enters the light-guiding part via the entrance face and exits the light-guiding part via the exit face. The optics system is configured such that, after having passed through the optics system, the outermost marginal rays of the outermost light beams with respect to the optical axis of the optics system are parallel or divergent to the optical axis.

Abstract: A sawing inspection system to measure dimensions of a cant that has been cut into pieces is disclosed. The system includes a housing having a window, an image sensor, a first mirror, and a second mirror. The first mirror includes a concave parabolic reflective surface and a focal point, and the second mirror includes a flat, reflective surface. The focal point is where parallel rays of light that enter the housing through the window and reflect off of the concave parabolic reflective surface intersect. The second mirror is positioned to reflect toward the focal point the parallel rays of light reflected by the first mirror. The image sensor is located at the focal point. At least one of the first mirror, the second mirror, and the image sensor is movable relative to the others to remove parallax error from the measurement of the pieces of the cant.

Abstract: An apparatus for dental confocal imaging comprises an illumination module for generating an array of light beams, an optics system for confocal focusing of the array of light beams and a probe head with a light-guiding part having an entrance face and an exit face. The illumination module, the optics system and the probe head are arranged such that the array of light beams from the illumination module passes through the optics system, enters the light-guiding part via the entrance face and exits the light-guiding part via the exit face. The optics system is configured such that, after having passed through the optics system, the outermost marginal rays of the outermost light beams with respect to the optical axis of the optics system are parallel or divergent to the optical axis.

Abstract: Systems for inserting and orienting a soft robotic probe into an apparatus and capturing images and methods of using the same are generally disclosed. For example, the system includes a cable, an actuation assembly, and a camera at the tip of the probe. The cable includes an adjustable sheath at an exterior of the cable defined around a probe centerline extending the length of the probe. The adjustable sheath extends and contracts the cable between a first length and a second length different from the first length and is defined within the adjustable sheath. The actuation assembly extends or contracts the cable between the first length and the second length and further adjusts an orientation of the cable, an orientation of the tip of the probe, or both along at least one axis. The camera captures images at least partially around a circumferential direction relative to a camera centerline.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for detection of a condition in a hole defined by a transparent material that is at least partially enclosed by one or more substantially opaque materials. The method may include positioning a light source in a first hole in the transparent material, directing light from the positioned light source through the transparent material and toward a second hole that is adjacent to the first hole. A prism may be positioned so that the light transmitted from the light source through the machined inner surface of the second hole is visible through a viewing face of the prism. By observing the transmitted light, a surface condition of the machined inner surface of the second hole may be determined.

Abstract: Provided are a moving object, a cleaning robot, a floor condition determining device, a method of controlling the moving object, and a method of controlling the cleaning robot. The moving object includes a light source configured to irradiate a first light to a floor surface, a plurality of sensors for receiving light reflected from the floor surface at different positions from each other, and a controller configured to determine a condition of the floor surface on the basis of a result sensed by the plurality of sensors.

Abstract: A confocal inspection system can optically characterize a sample. An objective lens, or separate incident and return lenses, can deliver incident light from a light source to the sample, and can collect light from the sample. Confocal optics can direct the collected light onto a detector. The system can average the incident light over multiple locations at the sample, for example, by scanning the incident light with a pivotable mirror in the incident and return optical paths, or by illuminating and collecting with multiple spaced-apart confocal apertures. The system can average the collected light, for example, by directing the collected light onto a single-pixel detector, or by directing the collected light onto a multi-pixel detector and averaging the pixel output signals to form a single electronic signal. Averaging the incident and/or return light can be advantageous for structured or inhomogeneous samples.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object inspecting device for inspecting a three-dimensional object includes a light source, a detector, an orientation information acquisition component, a three-dimensional shading corrector, and an inspection component. The light source emits light energy toward an inspection region set for the three-dimensional object. The detector detects radiant energy radiated from the inspection region. The orientation information acquisition component acquires orientation information about the light source and the detector with respect to the inspection region. The three-dimensional shading corrector performs three-dimensional shading correction on information corresponding to the radiant energy detected by the detector, based on shape information about the three-dimensional object in the inspection region, the orientation information, and shading correction information for a planar image detected by the detector for each of a plurality of working distances.

Abstract: Two pairs of alignment targets (one aligned, one misaligned by a bias distance) are formed on different masks to produce a first pair of conjugated interference patterns. Other pairs of alignment targets are also formed on the masks to produce a second pair of conjugated interference patterns that are inverted the first. Misalignment of the dark and light regions of the first interference patterns and the second interference patterns in both pairs of conjugated interference patterns is determined when patterns formed using the masks are overlaid. A magnification factor (of the interference pattern misalignment to the target misalignment) is calculated as a ratio of the difference of misalignment of the relatively dark and relatively light regions in the pairs of interference patterns, over twice the bias distance. The interference pattern misalignment is divided by the magnification factor to produce a self-referenced and self-calibrated target misalignment amount, which is then output.

Abstract: A particle detector, e.g. a smoke detector is described. In one form the detector includes a detection chamber and radiation source emitting a single beam of radiation. The detector also includes a radiation receiving system and an imaging system arranged to receive radiation from a common region of interest. Methods and systems for analysing the output of a particle detector are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for particulate matter (PM) measurement in a medium (such as air) using flat-top intensity laser sheet beam generation. The techniques for generating the laser sheet beam may include nonspecialized optical elements (e.g., aspherical, spherical, biconvex, and/or cylindrical lenses) that are cost-effective, reduce the overall footprint of the system, and also provide for relatively increased power efficiencies compared to conventional techniques. The PM measurement system may use the laser sheet beam generated in combination with a medium flow channel to pass the medium through the laser sheet beam, thereby causing particulates within the medium to scatter light, which can be detected using a light sensor (e.g., a photodetector). The scattered light signals can then be analyzed to match them with corresponding particulate sizes and the amount of signals per particulate size can also be determined to measure the size and count of particulates within the medium.