Abstract: A hemp biodegradable absorbent according to various aspects of the present technology comprises receiving hemp biomass and processing the biomass into a desired particle range through a separation process. The separation process may comprise an initial filtration to separate out particles having a size of greater than 500 ?m, pulverizing or sifting the remaining particles into a plurality of grades in a range of 0.5 ?m to 50 ?m, and selecting at least one grade of particles to form the absorbent. The selected particles are dried to a moisture content of less than about 10% to create a hemp biodegradable absorbent base that can be used to form various types of absorbent products that may provide an absorbent capacity of between about at least about 300% and up to about 600% by weight. The hemp biodegradable absorbent may also be effective at absorbing both oil-based and water-based liquids.

Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided for monitoring a field of view with a two-dimensional array of photo elements on which the field of view is imaged. The imaging system determines for each photo element a distance between the photo element and a surface of an object in the field of view by light emitted into the field of view and subsequently arriving on the photo elements and to determine a distance vector to form a coordinate image that includes the distance vector. A first memory unit stores the coordinate image, a second memory unit stores logical relations for the photo elements. A processing unit determines for each of the photo elements whether a logical relation is fulfilled and outputs a trigger signal when at least one of the logical relations is fulfilled.

Abstract: Imaging system includes pixel groups and a trigger generator to generate reset signals and a transfer signal. Each pixel group includes pixels and a programmable memory element to store a first or a second value. Each pixel includes a pixel circuit with a photodiode and a storage capacitance. The pixel circuit, the trigger generator, and the memory element are interconnected to permit the photodiode to be held at a constant voltage when the trigger generator sends the reset signal to the pixel circuit. When the reset signal is switched off, the photodiode accumulates a charge while being irradiated. When the transfer signal is received, the charge is transferred to the storage capacitance. The memory element blocks the transfer signal from arriving on all the pixel circuits when it has stored the first value and passes the transfer signal to all the pixel circuits when it has stored the second value.

Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: A distance measuring device and a method for determining a distance are provided. The method includes: illuminating an object with a sequence of the light pulses, capturing one arriving light pulse corresponding to an intensity Ie,l within a first integration gate, and outputting a signal value U1, capturing another arriving light pulse corresponding to the intensity Ie,l within a second integration gate, and outputting a signal value U2, capturing one arriving light pulse corresponding to an intensity Ie,h within the first integration gate and outputting a signal value U3, capturing the other arriving light pulse corresponding to the intensity Ie,h within the second integration gate and outputting a signal value U4, and calculating the distance between the distance measuring device and the object based on U1, U2, U3, and U4.

Abstract: A method for determining a distance between a distance measuring device and an object includes the steps of illuminating the object with a short light pulse and long light pulses, outputting a signal value Uref at the end of an integration gate with an invariable delay between the emission start point in time of the short light pulse and integration start point in time ?s, forming a convolution function fc:=U(?) from the intensity of the light arriving on the photo element and ?s with a respective variable delay ? for each long light pulse between the emission start point in time of the long light pulses and the integration gate, the variable delays being different from each other to form the convolution function, identifying the delay ?c in the convolution function which corresponds to Uref, and calculating the distance by using the delay ?c in the convolution function.

Abstract: A method is provided for illuminating an object and for determining a distance value R. The object is illuminated with a light source and the light intensity of the light source is switched at a time T0 from an intensity Iout,h to an intensity Iout,l being lower than Iout,h and switched back to Iout,h at a time T0+Tn. A signal value U is outputted at the end of an integration window time period which has such a predetermined delay relative to T0 that either Ttof or Ttof+Tn is between an integration start point in time Tsd of the integration window time period and an integration end point in time Tsd+Ts, with Ttof being a point in time when light with the intensity Iin,l arrives first at the photo element, and Ts is longer than Tn.

Abstract: A distance camera includes at least one photo element, a trigger generator activating the photo element during a temporal integration gate, a light source illuminating an object with light pulses having a predetermined temporal intensity profile with a duration Tp, and an intensity sensor determining the intensity Ip of the light pulses arriving on the photo element. The integration gate has a predetermined delay to the light pulse emission start point in order to capture the light pulses back reflected from the object. The photo element outputs a signal value U at an integration end point in time T1e and in accordance with an intensity Ip and a duration of the light pulse arriving on the photo element during its activation.

Abstract: Imaging system includes pixel groups and a trigger generator to generate reset signals and a transfer signal. Each pixel group includes pixels and a programmable memory element to store a first or a second value. Each pixel includes a pixel circuit with a photodiode and a storage capacitance. The pixel circuit, the trigger generator, and the memory element are interconnected to permit the photodiode to be held at a constant voltage when the trigger generator sends the reset signal to the pixel circuit. When the reset signal is switched off, the photodiode accumulates a charge while being irradiated. When the transfer signal is received, the charge is transferred to the storage capacitance. The memory element blocks the transfer signal from arriving on all the pixel circuits when it has stored the first value and passes the transfer signal to all the pixel circuits when it has stored the second value.

Abstract: A distance camera includes at least one photo element, a trigger generator activating the photo element during a temporal integration gate, a light source illuminating an object with light pulses having a predetermined temporal intensity profile with a duration Tp, and an intensity sensor determining the intensity Ip of the light pulses arriving on the photo element. The integration gate has a predetermined delay to the light pulse emission start point in order to capture the light pulses back reflected from the object. The photo element outputs a signal value U at an integration end point in time T1e and in accordance with an intensity Ip and a duration of the light pulse arriving on the photo element during its activation.

Abstract: A distance camera includes at least one photo element, a trigger generator activating the photo element during a temporal integration gate, a light source illuminating an object with light pulses having a predetermined temporal intensity profile with a duration Tp, and an intensity sensor determining the intensity Ip of the light pulses arriving on the photo element. The integration gate has a predetermined delay to the light pulse emission start point in order to capture the light pulses back reflected from the object. The photo element outputs a signal value U at an integration end point in time T1e and in accordance with an intensity Ip and a duration of the light pulse arriving on the photo element during its activation.

Abstract: A method for determining a distance between a distance measuring device and an object includes the steps of illuminating the object with a short light pulse and long light pulses, outputting a signal value Uref at the end of an integration gate with an invariable delay between the emission start point in time of the short light pulse and integration start point in time ?s, forming a convolution function fc:=U(?) from the intensity of the light arriving on the photo element and ?s with a respective variable delay ? for each long light pulse between the emission start point in time of the long light pulses and the integration gate, the variable delays being different from each other to form the convolution function, identifying the delay ?c in the convolution function which corresponds to Uref, and calculating the distance by using the delay ?c in the convolution function.

Abstract: A distance measuring device and a method for determining a distance are provided. The method includes: illuminating an object with a sequence of the light pulses, capturing one arriving light pulse corresponding to an intensity Te,l within a first integration gate, and outputting a signal value U1, capturing another arriving light pulse corresponding to the intensity Te,l within a second integration gate, and outputting a signal value U2, capturing one arriving light pulse corresponding to an intensity Ie,h within the first integration gate and outputting a signal value U3, capturing the other arriving light pulse corresponding to the intensity Ie,h within the second integration gate and outputting a signal value U4, and calculating the distance between the distance measuring device and the object based on U1, U2, U3, and U4.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided for monitoring a field of view with a two-dimensional array of photo elements on which the field of view is imaged. The imaging system determines for each photo element a distance between the photo element and a surface of an object in the field of view by light emitted into the field of view and subsequently arriving on the photo elements and to determine a distance vector to form a coordinate image that includes the distance vector. A first memory unit stores the coordinate image, a second memory unit stores logical relations for the photo elements. A processing unit determines for each of the photo elements whether a logical relation is fulfilled and outputs a trigger signal when at least one of the logical relations is fulfilled.

Abstract: A method is provided for illuminating an object and for determining a distance value R. The object is illuminated with a light source and the light intensity of the light source is switched at a time T0 from an intensity Iout,h to an intensity Iout,l being lower than Iout,h and switched back to Iout,h at a time T0+Tn. A signal value U is outputted at the end of an integration window time period which has such a predetermined delay relative to T0 that either Ttof or Ttof+Tn is between an integration start point in time Tsd of the integration window time period and an integration end point in time Tsd+Ts, with Ttof being a point in time when light with the intensity Iin,l arrives first at the photo element, and Ts is longer than Tn.

Abstract: A distance camera includes at least one photo element, a trigger generator activating the photo element during a temporal integration gate, a light source illuminating an object with light pulses having a predetermined temporal intensity profile with a duration Tp, and an intensity sensor determining the intensity Ip of the light pulses arriving on the photo element. The integration gate has a predetermined delay to the light pulse emission start point in order to capture the light pulses back reflected from the object. The photo element outputs a signal value U at an integration end point in time T1e and in accordance with an intensity Ip and a duration of the light pulse arriving on the photo element during its activation.