Abstract: An automated tread analysis system and methods for using are described. The automated tread analysis system may include a sensing system having a plurality of cameras providing a plurality of sequential two-dimensional images. The automated tread analysis system may also include an analysis system configured to provide at least one surface model of a first object via photogrammetry using the plurality of sequential two-dimensional images. The automated tread system may execute processing software reading data corresponding to the at least one surface model of the first object. The surface model may correspond to a current condition of the first object. The processing software executed by the user system may analyze the at least one surface model of the first object and provide at least one indicative wear metric based on the analysis of the surface model of the first object.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for remotely detecting defects in a structure may proceed non-destructively. A mobile sensing platform may place sensors in a desired positioning relative to the structure. The desired position may include a non-contacting relation between the sensors and structure. The mobile sensing platform may project laser beams onto the structure and sense backscattered light via the sensors. Variations in the backscattered light may correspond to motion of the structure, such as vibrations. By calculating the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations, defects in the structure may be detected. By correcting for noise, such as that associated with acceleration of the mobile sensing platform, accuracy and precision of defect detection may be enhanced.

Abstract: The invention discloses a robot network structure suitable for an unstructured environment and a sensing system. The robot network structure is a basic unit or superposition of multiple basic units. An upper structure of the basic unit comprises at least two first nodes, and a lower structure comprises at least two second nodes which are not coplanar with the at least two first nodes. All the first nodes and all the second nodes form a three-dimensional network structure through connecting rods.

Abstract: Apparatuses for measuring sample materials (such as tissue samples) and associated methodologies and instrumentation involve a spectroscopy system or device configured with a sample measuring device (e.g., an attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) sample measuring device) including a crystal defining a sample receiving surface/interface operatively connected to an IR source and an IR detector. The sample receiving surface/interface facilitates assessing presence (and optionally, amount) of a fixative (e.g., formaldehyde) in sample materials, tissue samples for example. Measurements are taken at one or multiple locations within a sample placement structure/area, which can be provided in the form of a probe or a raised piercing structure containing one or more ATR-IR (or other) sample measuring devices.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method of generating a metrology recipe usable for examining a semiconductor specimen, comprising: obtaining a first image set comprising a plurality of first images captured by an examination tool, obtaining a second image set comprising a plurality of second images, wherein each second image is simulated based on at least one first image, wherein each second image is associated with ground truth data; performing a first test on the first image set and a second test on the second image set in accordance with a metrology recipe configured with a first parameter set, and determining, in response to a predetermined criterion not being met, to select a second parameter set, configure the metrology recipe with the second parameter set, and repeat the first test and the second test in accordance with the metrology recipe configured with the second parameter set.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of characterizing particles in a sample. The method comprises illuminating the sample in a sample cell with a light beam, so as to produce scattered light by the interaction of the light beam with the sample; obtaining a time series of measurements of the scattered light from a single detector; determining, from the time series of measurements from the single detector, which measurements were taken at times when a large particle was contributing to the scattered light; determining a particle size distribution, including correcting for light scattered by the large particle.

Abstract: A LIDAR system, including a transmitting unit that includes a polarization device, the polarization device being configured to set a polarization of a scanning beam, a receiving unit that is configured to receive the scanning beam after it has been reflected on a point in the surroundings of the LIDAR system, the receiving unit including a polarization recognition device that is configured to recognize a polarization of the reflected scanning beam, and an evaluation unit that is configured to ascertain a polarization difference, based on a difference between the polarization that is set by the transmitting unit and the polarization that is recognized by the receiving unit.

Abstract: According to embodiments, a wafer inspection device is provided. The wafer inspection device includes a porous chuck including a plurality of pores formed all over the porous chuck to allow pressure for fixing a wafer to be applied thereto, a chuck driving device, a back side inspection optical system configured to inspect a portion of a back surface of the wafer, and a position identification optical system, wherein the porous chuck includes a plurality of holes uniformly formed all over the porous chuck to partially expose the back surface of the wafer and a slit exposing the back surface of the wafer and extending in one direction parallel to a top surface of the porous chuck.

Abstract: Among other things, the present invention is related to devices and methods for improving optical analysis of a thin layer of a sample sandwiched between two plates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for quantifying living organisms (1, 4) in a liquid sample (2), the method comprising the steps of •guiding the liquid sample (2) into a chamber (3), •analysing pictures of the sample (2) inside the chamber (3) to detect the number of organisms (4) moving by themselves in the sample, •illuminating the sample (2) with light in at least a part of the violet-blue spectrum while detecting the number of organisms (1) that are fluorescent in the sample inside the chamber (3), and •analysing pictures of the sample (2) inside the chamber (3) while illuminating the sample (2) with light in at least a part of the violet-blue spectrum to detect the number of organisms (1, 4) that are both moving by themselves and fluorescent. A device (15) for quantifying living organisms (1, 4) and use of a device (15) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stress measuring device and a stress measuring method for measuring a stress distribution of an object are provided. The stress measuring method includes: receiving a first-dimension image of the object; marking an area of the first-dimension image to generate a marked area; calculating a first stress applied to the marked area and transforming the marked area to a strained marked area corresponding to a second-dimension image to generate a determination result; and calculating the stress distribution corresponding to the first-dimension image of the object according to the determination result.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optically measuring a position of a measurement surface relative to a reference position. The system is a wireless network comprising a centrally located data acquisition computer and a multiplicity of remotely located sensor modules mounted at different locations within wireless communication range of a central receiver. Each sensor module is mounted to a clamp that is made specific to a control surface location and embedded with an RFID tag to denote clamp location. The optical components of the sensor modules are selected to enable indication of the linear position of a measurement surface relative to a reference position and then broadcast the measurement results. The broadcast results are received by the central receiver and processed by the data acquisition computer, which hosts human interface software that displays measurement data.

Abstract: A snapshot ellipsometer or polarimeter which does not require temporally modulated element(s) to measure a sample, but instead uses one or more spatially varying compensators, (eg. microretarder arrays and compound prisms), to vary the polarization state within a measurement beam of electromagnetic radiation. Analysis of an intensity profile of the beam after interaction with the spatially varying compensator(s) and the sample, and after having source beam wavelength content determined using a digital light processor, and/or being directed by a digital light processor elements toward elements in the detector, allows sample parameters to be characterized.

Abstract: A system and a method for the batch sorting of particles are provided. An example of a batch sorting system includes a microfluidic ejector, a flow channel fluidically coupled to the microfluidic ejector at one end, and a reservoir coupled to an opposite end of the flow channel from the microfluidic ejector. A counter is disposed in the flow channel upstream of the microfluidic ejector to count particles prior to ejection from the microfluidic ejector. An optical sensor is to image the flow channel. A controller is configured to locate a target particle in the flow channel based, at least in part, on the image and capture the target particle in a collection vessel based, at least in part, on a count from the counter.

Abstract: Using data about the geometry of the wafer, the geometry of the wafer is measured along at least three diameters originating at different points along a circumference of the wafer. A characterization of the geometry of the wafer is determined using the three diameters. A probability of wafer clamping failure for the wafer can be determined based on the characterization.

Abstract: A polarization sensor is described. It includes a quarter-wave plate to convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light. The quarter-wave plate is realized as a metasurface. The sensor also includes a linear polarizer to analyze the light generated by the quarter-wave plate, and a photodetector to receive the analyzed light. The sensor may be combined with other linear polarization sensors to form a sensor capable of complete measurement of the polarization state of incident light. An array of these sensors can be integrated directly onto image sensors to form a polarimetric imager.

Abstract: A particle size measuring apparatus capable of measuring a smaller particle size includes: a first light source configured to emit parallel beam to a sample containing particles; a first image capturing apparatus disposed to approximately face the first light source with the sample disposed therebetween and configured to capture an image of the sample; and an image analyzing unit configured to analyze the image captured by the first image capturing apparatus. The first image capturing apparatus and the first light source are disposed so as to approximately face each other so that an image of scattered light of the parallel beam incident on particles and scattered at a prescribed angle ?th or smaller is captured by the first image capturing apparatus. The image analyzing unit is configured to calculate a particle size on the basis of a scattered light image captured by the first image capturing apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus (100) for determining presence of a gas (103) is provided, the apparatus (100) comprising: one or more retarders (109) to spectrally modulate polarisation of received radiation in accordance with a plurality of polarised spectral modulation profiles which are offset in phase from each other, the radiation output from the one or more retarders (109) comprising radiation having polarisation spectrally modulated in accordance with the said plurality of polarised spectral modulation profiles in a common beam of radiation; one or more polarisers (147, 148); and radiation detectors (142, 144) to detect radiation output from the one or more retarders (109) filtered for respective polarisation states by the one or more polarisers (147, 148), the detectors (142, 144) selectively and separately detecting on different detectors at the same time polarised radiation conforming to each of at least first and second of the said polarised spectral modulation profiles to thereby provide at least respective first and

Abstract: A sensor arrangement characterizes particles. The arrangement has an emitter with a laser source that generates a laser beam; a mode converter that generates a field distribution of the laser beam, which at each position has a different combination of a local intensity and a local polarization direction of the laser beam; and focusing optics that focus the field distribution of the laser beam onto at least one measurement region, through which the particles pass, in a focal plane. A receiver is also provided with analyzer optics configured to determine polarization-dependent intensity signals of the field distribution of the laser beam in the at least one measurement region; and an evaluator configured to characterize the particles, including the particle position, the particle velocity, the particle acceleration, or the particle size, using the polarization-dependent intensity signals.

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes an inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus may include: a structured-light source configured to sequentially radiate a plurality of structured lights having one phase range; a lens configured to adjust, for each of the plurality of structured lights, optical paths of light beams corresponding to phases of the phase range such that a light beam corresponding to one phase of the phase range arrives at each point of a partial region on an object; an image sensor configured to capture a plurality of reflected lights generated by the structured lights being reflected from the partial region; and a processor configured to acquire a light quantity value of the reflected lights; and derive an angle of the surface by deriving phase values of the reflected lights based on the light quantity value for the reflected lights.