Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising obtaining a sample of a lot of agricultural grain kernels, determining, from the sample, a kernel protein concentration as a first function of kernel size, determining, from the sample, a kernel mass as a second function of kernel size, determining, from the first function and the second function, a kernel protein mass as a third function of kernel size, and determining, from the second function and the third function, an effect of a sieving operation on a protein concentration of the lot of agricultural grain kernels.

Abstract: An optical measuring device for the spectral measurement of a sample is disclosed. The optical measure device includes an integrating cavity that has a diffusely reflective interior in order to render the light in the integrating cavity diffuse, a light source that is configured to emit light of a predetermined wavelength range into the integrating cavity, and a sensor that is configured to receive light from the integrating cavity, wherein the integrating cavity comprises an optical opening, and wherein the optical measuring device is provided and configured to measure a sample located outside of the integrating cavity directly in front of the optical opening.

Abstract: In accordance with an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of obtaining a calibrated measurement of a sample using an integrating cavity, comprising obtaining sample spectral information by using the integrating cavity with the sample placed inside the integrating cavity, obtaining cavity-characterizing spectral information generated by using the integrating cavity with a standard object, and obtaining a measurement result from the sample spectral information by employing a mathematical process that takes the cavity-characterizing spectral information as input.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sample container for use inside an optically integrating cavity, comprising an enclosing member comprised of fluorocarbon plastic, the enclosing member having diffuse transmittance of at least 80% and the sample container being adapted to contain a solid or liquid sample.

Abstract: In accordance with an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of obtaining a calibrated measurement of a sample using an integrating cavity, comprising obtaining sample spectral information by using the integrating cavity with the sample placed inside the integrating cavity, obtaining cavity-characterizing spectral information generated by using the integrating cavity with a standard object, and obtaining a measurement result from the sample spectral information by employing a mathematical process that takes the cavity-characterizing spectral information as input.

Abstract: Optical analyzer (10,50,60) comprises an optically integrating cavity (20), the optically integrating cavity (20) formed by at least one optical light diffusing wall (31) and adapted to contain a sample of a solid agricultural product, the sample consisting of one or more sample elements (41,48), a light source (13,33), emitting light into the optically integrating cavity (20), whereas the at least one optical light diffusing wall (31) is utilized to convert emitted light to diffused light, whereas the sample at least partially or completely converts the diffused light to spectrally filtered light, and a spectral sensor (26). The sample is confined in the optically integrating cavity (20) while the spectral sensor (26) is being exposed to the spectrally filtered light. Patent application has independent claims also for optical analyzing method and sample preparation device.

Abstract: Optical analyzer (10,50,60) comprises an optically integrating cavity (20), the optically integrating cavity (20) formed by at least one optical light diffusing wall (31) and adapted to contain a sample of a solid agricultural product, the sample consisting of one or more sample elements (41,48), a light source (13,33), emitting light into the optically integrating cavity (20), whereas the at least one optical light diffusing wall (31) is utilized to convert emitted light to diffused light, whereas the sample at least partially or completely converts the diffused light to spectrally filtered light, and a spectral sensor (26). The sample is confined in the optically integrating cavity (20) while the spectral sensor (26) is being exposed to the spectrally filtered light. Patent application has independent claims also for optical analyzing method and sample preparation device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using the apparatus for measuring target samples, particularly pharmaceutical products using Raman radiation. The sample is located in an aperture in a wall structure with a reflective surface on one or both of the sides of the wall structure facing respectively the excitation radiation transmitter or the Raman radiation detector. Preferably two reflective surfaces each in hemispherical shape and facing each other in a spherical arrangement are provided, with the wall structure across the diameter of the sphere.

Abstract: Method for measuring a chemical composition of a sample comprising at least two chemical components, comprises the steps: illuminating an integrating cavity by a light source, bringing the sample into the integrating cavity, detecting an optical signal from the integrating cavity using a sensor, and indicating the chemical composition of the sample by spectral analysis. The sample forms an optically thin layer in at least one dimension inside the integrating cavity. The patent application contains independent patent claims also for optical measuring apparatus and method for measuring a chemical composition of a sample.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using the apparatus for measuring target samples, particularly pharmaceutical products using Raman radiation. The sample is located in an aperture in a wall structure with a reflective surface on one or both of the sides of the wall structure facing respectively the excitation radiation transmitter or the Raman radiation detector. Preferably two reflective surfaces each in hemispherical shape and facing each other in a spherical arrangement are provided, with the wall structure across the diameter of the sphere.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for stable and reproducible optical diffuse reflection measurement are described. Light sources and photodetectors are used such that at least two points of light entry and at least two points of light exit are established on the surface of the sample. The light sources are modulated and the detector outputs are demodulated such that the signals associated with the at least four optical measurement beams are individually detected. The signals are processed such that all instabilities generated at the surface of the sample are canceled out. In effect, the accuracy of the measurement is increased by having only the deeper layers of the sample contribute to the result. The geometry of the probe can be optimized for specific sampling depths and for specific measurement applications. Spectroscopic referencing can be eliminated since instabilities of light emission and detection are also canceled out.

Abstract: The long-term stability of the analytic accuracy of spectroscopic measurements is often limited by wavelength axis instabilities of the hardware. A dedicated optical element called the inverse sample element (4) is inserted into the path of the measurement light. The optical response of the inverse sample element (4) is determined from the spectral response of the average sample (3) in such a way that wavelength axis instabilities of the instrument hardware cause opposite and nearly cancelled amplitude effects in the resulting absorbance spectrum. The inverse sample element (4) can be movable or permanently mounted inside the instrument and is preferably made from a thin-film structure.

Abstract: The prior art knows two different approaches to calibration of multichannel instruments, viz., the so-called physical and statistical calibration methods. The new methods translate the difficult inverse-problem posed by the statistical method into simpler, forward-problem, “physical” measurements of the signal and the noise. The new methods combine the quality of the statistical method with the low cost and interpretability of the physical method. The new methods disclose how to compute the optimal regression vector; how to update the optimal regression vector to account for small changes in the noise; how to choose a “good” subset of channels for measurement; and how to quantify the noise contributions from the multichannel measurement and from the reference measurement individually. The new methods are adapted to different situations to enable users in different situations to realize maximum cost savings.

Abstract: The accuracy of noninvasive blood analysis methods is limited by the so-called tracking error. The correlation between the component concentration in the probed skin volume and the component concentration in the blood is improved by selecting particular locations on the patient's skin which provide a significantly higher density of capillary vessels than found on average (sweet spots). The higher capillary density causes the component concentration in the probed skin volume to better track the component concentration in the blood and as a useful side effect also improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the noninvasive measurement method itself. Methods for locating sweet spots and controlling the noninvasive measurement to selectively probe sweet spots are described.