Abstract: A thermal imaging system comprising a camera (11), a control device (12) which is operable to control movement of the camera (11) and operation of the camera shutter and a computer (13) which includes thermal image processing software which allows manipulation or display of thermal images collected by the camera (11). The camera (11) is operated by use of the control device (12) to expose a thermal image over a selected time interval to correspondingly select a thermal image over a particular selected temperature range. The camera shutter is operated at a selected frequency, and exposure time of the image is varied to acquire thermal images over different selected temperature ranges. However, preferably every image is taken at the same time exposure, which allows display of a continuous real time display of thermal characteristics of the object over this selected temperature range. Thermal information over the other temperature range can also be displayed or used as desired.

Abstract: An image sending apparatus has a conversion member for converting a radiation wave into visual light, an image sensing area having a plurality of pixels for converting the visual light converted by the converting member into an electrical signal, and a shielding member mounted in a partial area of the image sensing apparatus for shielding the radiation wave.

Abstract: The present invention describes an apparatus for detection of ionizing radiation, wherein the incident radiation ionizes a substance, and the electrons released as a result thereof are accelerated in a dual parallel plate electrode arrangement. These electrons will interact with a scintillating substance to emit light, which is detected by a position sensitive light detector. Since the light is emitted isotropically in such scintillator measures are taken to achieve a good spatial resolution. Thus, the scintillating substance is either arranged in an array of separately located scintillating elements, wherein each scintillating element is separated from the other ones by means of a light impermeable wall, or has an extension in the direction of the accelerated electrons shorter than the absorption length of the light photons emitted in the scintillating substance.

Abstract: A fluidization level sensor and controller for use in a fluidized patient support surface has a controller coupled to a sensor and a compressor. The patient support surface contains a mass of granular particles housed in frame walls and supported by a diffuser. The compressor forces a fluid, typically air, into a plenum chamber and through the diffuser. The fluid flows through the mass of granular particles, causing the mass of granular particles to fluidize, and exits through a fluid permeable sheet. The fluidization level sensor produces an output signal proportional to the fluidization level of the mass of granular particles, and provides this output signal to the controller. The controller generates a compressor control signal in response to the output of fluidization level sensor, which in turn adjusts the compressor to maintain a substantially constant fluidization level.

Abstract: A stimulable phosphor sheet comprises an intermediate layer constituted of a substance, which absorbs low energy components of radiation and transmits at least light having predetermined wavelengths, and stimulable phosphor layers, which are overlaid respectively on two surfaces of the intermediate layer. The substance contains a bismuth compound or at least one lead compound selected from the group consisting of PbF2, 2PbCO3.Pb(OH)2, PbTe, and PbWO4. The intermediate layer is chemically stable, has a high capability of separating energy distributions, and acts such that an energy subtraction image having good image quality is obtained from energy subtraction processing.

Abstract: An optical transmitting and receiving device with light-conducting receiver, which are arranged inside the housing, in front of a light-permeable cover between a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, so that the share of light reflected at the light-permeable cover of the transmitting unit is conducted to the receiving unit, thus making it possible to detect the operational readiness of the transmitting unit as well as the degree of soiling of the light-permeable cover.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiation image information reader for reading radiation image information from a stimulable phosphor sheet and obtaining an image signal which represents the radiation image information. The radiation image information reader comprises a horizontal scan section and a read section. The horizontal scan section is used for horizontally scanning a plurality of spot-sized excitation light beams simultaneously onto the phosphor sheet at predetermined intervals on a horizontal scanning line. The read section is used to obtain the image signal which represents the radiation image information by photoelectrically detecting photostimulated luminescent light beams, emitted from portions of the sheet irradiated with the excitation light beams and/or from portions on a bottom surface of the sheet which correspond to the irradiated portions, by horizontal scanning of the excitation light beams.

Abstract: An image recording medium includes a support body which allows reading electromagnetic waves to pass through it, a first electrode layer which allows the reading electromagnetic waves to pass through it, a photoconductive reading layer which exhibits conductivity when irradiated with the reading electromagnetic waves, a charge storage portion for storing a latent-image polarity charge, a photoconductive recording layer for generating the latent-image polarity charge when irradiated with recording electromagnetic waves, and a second electrode layer which allows the recording electromagnetic waves to pass through it. The difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the support body and the photoconductive reading layer is small so that no structural destruction occurs between the support body and the photoconductive reading layer because of thermal stress generated by a temperature change in environment.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes three laser stimulating ray sources, a stage on which two or more kinds of image carriers can selectively be placed, a scanning mechanism for scanning the image carrier with a laser beam emitted from the laser stimulating ray sources, thereby stimulating the image carrier, a light detector for photoelectrically detecting light emitted from the image carrier in response to stimulation by the laser beam and a confocal optical system for leading light emitted from the image carrier to the light detector, the image reading apparatus further including a confocal switching member having pinholes of different diameters and disposed between the confocal optical system and the light detector.

Abstract: A scintigraphic device, comprising a collimator, a scintillation crystal structure, a plurality of photomultipliers, electronic circuits for the determination of the position co-ordinates (XY) and energy of the event and their amplification for their subsequent transfer to an electronic processor, wherein photomultipliers (31, 32, 33, 3n) are positioned mutually adjacent, each provided with its own independent electronic circuits (121, 122, 123, 12n), and a circuit (13) for interrogating the respective synchronism signals drawn from the respective electronic circuits (12) determines the signal indicating the photomultiplier (13) that detected the event and enables only a corresponding analogue switch (14) to transfer the signals carrying the position co-ordinates of the event from the enabled electronic components (12) to an analog to digital converter (A/D).

Abstract: A neutron detection system for detection of contaminants contained within a bulk material during recycling includes at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of the bulk material, and at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by contaminants within the bulk material. A structure for analyzing gamma ray data is communicably connected to the gamma ray detector, the structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted. The identity and concentration of contaminants in a bulk material can also be determined. By scanning the neutron beam, discrete locations within the bulk material having contaminants can be identified.

Abstract: A spectral reflectance sensor including: a light source for emitting a modulated beam of red light; a light source for emitting a modulated beam of near infrared light; a receiver for receiving reflected light produced by either the red source or the near infrared source; a receiver for receiving incident light from either the red source or the infrared source; a signal conditioner responsive to the modulation such that the signals produced by the receivers in response to reflected and incident light from the source can be discriminated from signals produced by ambient light; and a microprocessor having an input such that the microprocessor can determine the intensities of incident red light, reflected red light; incident near infrared light; and reflected near infrared light. From these intensities, and by knowing the growing days since emergence or planting, the sensor can calculate the mid-growing season nitrogen fertilizer requirements of a plant.

Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatuses for the sensing of a property of a molten metal that lies beneath layers of interfering matter. A stream of gas is propelled into the layers of interfering matter at a velocity that is sufficient for the gas to penetrate through the layers of interfering matter and into the molten metal, thereby providing an opening through the layers of interfering matter. At the same time, energy emanating from the molten metal is detected and measured through the opening, so as to obtain an energy measurement. Then, the energy measurement is processed to determine a value for the desired property of the molten metal.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the distribution of a chemical species within a defined space, for example a vessel such as an internal combustion engine cylinder. A plurality of radiation sources and radiation detectors are distributed around the perimeter of the vessel. The radiation sources are distributed to emit beams of radiation across the interior of the vessel, the wavelength of the radiation being selected such that an interaction such as fluorescence or absorption occurs between the radiation and the chemical species which can be detected by the detectors. A representation of the distribution of the chemical species within the vessel can then be derived from the detected interactions by conventional tomography techniques.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording medium having a support body on which line-shaped electrodes are formed, and on which a blocking layer formed of a thin film is provided, and the deterioration of the blocking performance of the blocking layer is prevented. After an electrode layer, composed of a layer of film, is formed on the support body, etching is performed and stripe electrodes are formed. The member on which the line-shaped electrodes have been formed is dipped along its lengthwise direction into and pulled up and out of a vessel filled with blocking layer forming liquid to form the film of the blocking layer. In this way, a continuous blocking layer is formed so as to cover the top and side surfaces continuously of each electrode, whereby dark current flow from the stripe electrodes can be prevented with certainty.

Abstract: An optical scanning system for examining material associated with a substrate includes at least one scanning module for displacing two or more objective lenses, at least one optical coupling system and a translation system. The two objective lenses are mounted on one or more scan arms and are constructed to scan over regions or subregions associated with the substrate. The scanning module is configured to displace the scan arm(s) to perform the scan and thereby displace the two objective lenses. Each objective lens is arranged to deliver light to the material and collect light from the material.

Abstract: An X-ray detector includes an array of X-ray sensitive sensors, each sensor including a conversion element which converts incident X-rays into electric charge pulses. The X-ray detector also includes an evaluation unit which is electrically connected to the conversion element in order to receive and evaluate the electric charge pulses. In order to form an X-ray detector which exhibits a high degree of linearity over a large dynamic range in conjunction with a higher maximum count rate and in order to avoid falsification of the calculated image by multiple counting of X-ray quanta, the evaluation unit includes a current/frequency converter as well as an electronic counter which is electrically connected thereto. The electric charge pulses from the conversion element are applied to the input of the current/frequency converter whose output pulses are applied to the electronic counter.

Abstract: A solid state photosensitive detector including a solid state photosensitive sensor associated with a converter designed to convert radiation to be detected into radiation to which the photosensitive sensor is sensitive. The photosensitive sensor includes one or more photosensitive elements connected to conductors and a passivation layer covering the photosensitive elements and the conductors to protect them. Between the passivation layer and the converter, a barrier is provided that is impermeable to at least one chemical species that is corrosive for the sensor, capable of being released by the converter during at least one chemical reaction. Such a detector may find particular application to radiation detectors for medical radiology.

Abstract: An excitation light irradiating device irradiates excitation light to a measuring site. A fluorescence imaging device performs an imaging operation for detecting a fluorescence image formed with fluorescence, which has been produced from the measuring site when the excitation light is irradiated to the measuring site. An illumination device irradiates illumination light to the measuring site. An ordinary imaging device performs an imaging operation for detecting an ordinary image formed with reflected light of the illumination light. A controller controls such that the imaging operation for detecting the fluorescence image and the imaging operation for detecting the ordinary image are performed alternately, and such that an operation for throwing off accumulated electric charges is performed before the imaging operation of the fluorescence imaging device is performed and/or before the imaging operation of the ordinary imaging device is performed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a high-sensitivity infrared sensor. According to the present invention, a support member for supporting a sensor portion in a cavity structure is formed to be remarkably thin as compared with a conventional structure, a sectional area of the support member is considerably reduced, heat conductance can remarkably be reduced and, as a result, the infrared sensor having a remarkably high sensitivity can be obtained. Moreover, according to the present invention, since an insulating layer of a support member area is etched, and a sacrifice silicon film is embedded in the area, an aspect ratio of an insulating layer RIE for forming a support leg is remarkably reduced. A manufacturing process is facilitated, a sectional area of the support leg is further reduced as a secondary effect, and the sensitivity of the infrared sensor can further be enhanced.