Abstract: A thermal lens spectrometer utilizes a continuously tunable optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to provide practical, easy-to-build, reliable spectrometer for measuring a wide variety of sample materials over a wide spectral range. A flow cell is placed in the path of the output beam from a tunable optical parametric oscillator, and material to be analyzed is placed in the cell. A laser probe beam is also directed into the cell coaxially with the OPO output beam. The OPO output beam acts as a pump, and the output probe beam from the cell is directed to an intensity sensor. The OPO is tuned over a selected frequency range, under computer control, for example, to produce an output probe beam having an intensity representing the spectral response of the material to be analyzed.

Abstract: The invention is to detect vibrations which would destroy a micro-gravity environment, to grasp factors of the vibrations, to detect and grasp a position and a scale of meteoroid/debris collisions, and to establish a counter-measure. Vibration sensors are disposed in a matrix array on a vibrating body placed in a micro-gravity environment. A computer analyzes a spectrum of the vibration, in a neural network section a vibration source is specified on the basis of the analyzed spectra, in a fuzzy control section, actuators are driven so as to reduce harmful vibrations in response to the vibration energy and the energy source specified by the neural network section, and if necessary, a vibration factor is eliminated. The computer takes in the result of driving for the actuators, the results are learnt in the neural network section and in the fuzzy control section to be ready for generation of vibrations at the next time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprised of an ultrasonic transducer array that transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject under examination and receives ultrasonic waves reflected from within the subject under examination and a scan controller that controls the transducer array to transmit/receive the ultrasonic waves in the same direction repeatedly and to change the transmitting/receiving direction of the ultrasonic waves in a sectional plane of the subject under examination. The apparatus also includes a detector that detects Doppler shifted frequency data at a plurality of points in the sectional plane from a received signal by the transducer array and a display that displays blood flow of the subject. A memory stores a plurality of types of patterns having a maximum velocity, a minimum velocity and a number of frames per unit time of blood flow to be detected in various combinations.

Abstract: In the case, where fruits, which are relatively soft and liable to be bruised upon contact or collision with another object such as particularly in the case of white peaches, are to be separated into flesh and pit automatically, apparatus for assuring a high efficiency and a high yield is provided for separating and taking out flesh from the fruits without brusing the flesh as much as possible.