Abstract: A defect on the surface or in the surface layer of a moving material can be detected by using a method comprising steps of: heating the surface of the material, obtaining thermal image data of the surface of the material using an infrared thermography camera while the surface of the material is being heated up at the heating step or being cooled down after heating, and detecting the defect by calculating Laplacian with respect to temperature of the surface represented by the thermal image data. When the thermal image data is obtained while the material is being heated up, a heating device and the camera is arranged so that thermal energy emitted from the heating device is reflected by the material to come into the camera.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a thermal image of a coated substrate to determine the presence of defects includes determining a defect temperature range based on a color of the coated substrate and the maximum temperature of the coated substrate in the thermal image. Thereafter, the thermal image is processed by determining a signal value of a pixel of interest based on a temperature of the pixel of interest, temperatures of pixels in a kernel of pixels surrounding the pixel of interest, and the color of the coated substrate. The signal value of the pixel of interest is then compared to the lower temperature threshold of the defect temperature range, wherein the pixel of interest is a defect location when the signal value of the pixel of interest is greater than or equal to the lower temperature threshold.

Abstract: A defect on the surface or in the surface layer of a moving material can be detected by using a method comprising steps of: heating the surface of the material, obtaining thermal image data of the surface of the material using an infrared thermography camera while the surface of the material is being heated up at the heating step or being cooled down after heating, and detecting the defect by calculating Laplacian with respect to temperature of the surface represented by the thermal image data. When the thermal image data is obtained while the material is being heated up, a heating device and the camera is arranged so that thermal energy emitted from the heating device is reflected by the material to come into the camera.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a thermal image of a coated substrate to determine the presence of defects includes determining a defect temperature range based on a color of the coated substrate and the maximum temperature of the coated substrate in the thermal image. Thereafter, the thermal image is processed by determining a signal value of a pixel of interest based on a temperature of the pixel of interest, temperatures of pixels in a kernel of pixels surrounding the pixel of interest, and the color of the coated substrate. The signal value of the pixel of interest is then compared to the lower temperature threshold of the defect temperature range, wherein the pixel of interest is a defect location when the signal value of the pixel of interest is greater than or equal to the lower temperature threshold.

Abstract: A method for quantifying an amount of a viable microorganism includes subjecting a fluid sample suspected of containing a viable microorganism to a temperature change, and correlating the temperature history of the fluid sample to the amount of the viable microorganism contained in the fluid sample. The method may include the steps of bringing, the fluid sample to a first temperature, and transferring the fluid sample to a second temperature that is different than the first temperature. After the step of transferring, next is the step of measuring a temperature change in the fluid sample over a predetermined period of time. The temperature change may then be correlated to the amount of the viable microorganism contained in the fluid sample. The method finds use in a variety of applications, including evaluation of compositions or compounds potentially having microbicidal, microbiostatic, or growth enhancing properties.