Abstract: A fiber sensor comprising: an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel, wherein the optical waveguide is fixed to the optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit, and the optical waveguide unit is provided so as to be detachable from the channel unit.

Abstract: A small object identifying device and its identifying method according to which a large number of small objects can be identified. In one embodiment, the device includes a dispersion region section which disperses a large quantity of several kinds of small objects which are labeled by a combination of the presence/absence or measure of label elements of several kinds. A measuring device distributes and associates kinds of said label elements to two or more measurement points and measures the presence/absence or the measure of said label elements of the kinds which have been associated with respective measurement points. An identifying section associates the measurement results measured at each measurement point to thereby identify said small objects.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide an optical information reader which can identify precisely, reliably, and with high sensitivity, even when the quantity or the wavelength of light from a measuring object from which optical information is to be read, extends over a wide range.

Abstract: A small object identifying device and its identifying method according to which a large number of small objects can be identified. In one embodiment, the device includes a dispersion region section which disperses a large quantity of several kinds of small objects which are labeled by a combination of the presence/absence or measure of label elements of several kinds. A measuring device distributes and associates kinds of said label elements to two or more measurement points and measures the presence/absence or the measure of said label elements of the kinds which have been associated with respective measurement points. An identifying section associates the measurement results measured at each measurement point to thereby identify said small objects.

Abstract: In a foreign matter detecting apparatus 1, light beams are applied to a moving plastic resin extruded from an extruder, and a foreign matter, if any, in the plastic resin is detected by transmitted light beams. First and second projectors 30a,30b of the foreign matter detecting apparatus apply a plurality of light beams with different convergence diameters to the plastic resin which is extruded and moves in a passage 18. First and second light receivers 40a,40b receive the light beams transmitted through the plastic resin, and compare their respective reception levels with a plurality of levels of light reception which are previously set corresponding to the size of the foreign matter. Based on the result of comparison, the light receivers detect the presence and size of the foreign matter involved in the plastic resin.