Abstract: An optical apparatus (10) is provided for non-destructive examination of characteristics of an object (102). The apparatus has a light source (28) for directing a beam of NIR Light towards the object (102), an aperture (24) for diverging the NIR beam through or reflected from the object, a collimating lens (30) for collimating the divergent beam, a diffraction device (32) for separating the collimated beam into wavelength components and focusing lens (36) for focusing the wavelength components onto a matrix of photodetectors (34) which in turn produce electrical output signals proportional to energy levels in the wavelength components. The apparatus (10) can be made compact so that it can be used to examine objects in fields. In one example the apparatus (10) has a pistol-shaped housing with a slot (12) in its turret (18) and a body (16) with a display monitor (14). The body (16) also has an opening through which a correlation device (26) in the form of a PCMCIA card can be connected to the apparatus (1).

Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items to identify the origin of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating including ridges and recesses in the enclosed squares or rectangles. The diffraction grating is manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image, including obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream and preferably clipping and quantising the data stream, and deforming a plate surface in accordance with the data stream. Also claimed is a diffraction grating having spaced first and second portions each producing an image on a receiving surface in response to illumination by a reading light beam, configured such that when the reading light beam moves from the first to the second portion, a change occurs in the first image to produce the second image.

Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items, to identify the original of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating. For example, the surface could include a plurality of blocks which adapted when illuminated will produce a recognisable image on an intercepting surface. The diffraction grating is manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image. Processing of the data stream includes obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream. Preferably, the data stream is clipped and quantised.

Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items to identify the origin of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating including ridges and recesses in the enclosed squares or rectangles. The diffraction grating manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image including obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream and preferably clipping and quantising the data stream, and deforming a plate surface in accordance with the data stream. Also claimed is a diffraction grating having spaced first and second portions each producing an image on a receiving surface in response to illumination by a reading light beam, configured such that when the reading light beam moves from the first to the second portion, a change occurs in the first image to produce the second image.

Abstract: A diffraction surface and a method of making the surface. The surface may be applied to labels and other items, to identify the original of the goods to which the label is attached. The surface can include a block grating. For example, the surface could include a plurality of blocks which adapted when illuminated will produce a recognisable image on an intercepting surface. The diffraction grating is manufactured by processing a data stream indicative of the image. Processing of the data stream includes obtaining a Fourier Transform of the data stream. Preferably, the data stream is clipped and quantised.

Abstract: A ceramic heater element and a glow plug incorporating the novel heater element. The heater element has a base portion and a heater portion. Conductive, insulative and resistive layers extend through both the base and heater portions. An outer conductive layer is applied to the outside of the base portion to provide a highly conductive return path. This tends to limit the heating of the resistive layer in the base portion and results in better and more reliable heat concentration in the heater portion. The heater element can be assembled to form a glow plug for a diesel engine.

Abstract: A ceramic heater element and a glow plug incorporating the novel heater element. The heater element has a base portion and a heater portion. Conductive, insulative and resistive layers extend through both the base and heater portions. An outer conductive layer is applied to the outside of the base portion to provide a highly conductive return path. This tends to limit the heating of the resistive layer in the base portion and results in better and more reliable heat concentration in the heater portion. The heater element can be assembled to form a glow plug for a diesel engine.

Abstract: A versatile electrophysiology study monitoring system including an amplification system, a real time display monitor and a chart recorder as well as an optional data management and analysis system wherein the display monitor and chart recorder are controllable directly from the amplification system which may be positioned at the bedside of the patient to provide a portable system which may be used at the bedside of the patient or in the electrophysiology laboratory and which also includes a 32 channel display of physiological data and user settable filter settings for high and low pass filters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medication reminder system, apparatus and method for notifying patients of the correct times during the day for taking a medicine. The system provides a portable module carried by the patient that alerts the patient to the time that a medication should be taken. The portable module is programmed by an operator at a programming station to provide the specific times for taking the medication.

Abstract: A light emitting device (10) incorporates a layer (12) of porous silicon of low dimensionality surmounted by a discontinuous layer of silver in the form of discrete islands (20). A digitated electrode (13) is connected to the islands (20). The islands (20) have diameters in the range 5 nm to 20 nm and spacings in the range 10 nm to 50 nm, and they form a Schottky diode structure on the silicon (12). Under electrical bias, the diode structure conducts and light is generated. The device (10) is produced by vacuum deposition of silver onto a silicon wafer at a temperature which provides for the silver to separate into individual balls (20). The wafer is then anodized to produce a porous layer incorporating columns of silicon and silicon dioxide surmounted by respective silver islands (20). Each silver island (20) protects the underlying silicon (21) from the anodizing medium, and subsequently provides an electrical contact to the silicon.

Abstract: A discriminating apparatus for discriminating a radiant information signal from a background signal, the discriminating apparatus including a radiation sensing means sensitive to an incident signal comprising both an information signal and a background signal and operative to generate an output sensing signal of a level related to the level of the incident signal, and detector means responsive to the sensing signal to detect an information signal component of the sensing signal from a background signal level component of the sensing signal.