Abstract: Methods for estimating the Effective Modal Bandwidth (EMB) of laser optimized Multimode Fiber (MMF) at a specified wavelength, ?S, based on the measured EMB at a first reference measurement wavelength, ?M. In these methods the Differential Mode Delay (DMD) of a MMF is measured and the Effective Modal Bandwidth (EMB) is computed at a first measurement wavelength. By extracting signal features such as centroids, peak power, pulse widths, and skews, as described in this disclosure, the EMB can be estimated at a second specified wavelength with different degrees of accuracy. The first method estimates the EMB at the second specified wavelength based on measurements at the reference wavelength. The second method predicts if the EMB at the second specified wavelength is equal or greater than a specified bandwidth limit.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a ladar system includes a laser transmitter with at least one semiconductor laser having a pulsed laser light output. A laser drive circuit is connected to said at least one semiconductor laser and adapted to electrically drive said at least one semiconductor laser in a predetermined sequence. A laser beam steering mechanism is adapted to scan the pulsed laser light output sequentially through the field of view.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing operations based on LIDAR communications are described. An example device may include one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to receive data associated with a modulated optical signal emitted by a transmitter of a first LIDAR device and received by a receiver of a second LIDAR device coupled to a vehicle and the device, generate a rendering of an environment of the vehicle based on information from one or more LIDAR devices coupled to the vehicle, and update the rendering based on the received data. Updating the rendering includes updating an object rendering of an object in the environment of the vehicle. The instructions further cause the device to provide the updated rendering for display on a display coupled to the vehicle.

Abstract: An infrared detection camera for the inspection of coated substrates. A corrosion sensing instrument is handheld, portable, battery powered, compact and lightweight. The camera performs nondestructive, real time imaging of corrosion and defects beneath painted metal or plastics or composite surfaces. The device includes a user-friendly computer interface for real time imaging and image storage capability and is typically used for detecting early stage corrosion beneath painted aircraft aluminum surfaces. The handheld device has a front “open air” imaging port which is designed to be placed in soft contact against the painted surface to be inspected by the instrument. The device includes an infrared camera and infrared lighting to capture an image of the surface. The captured image is transferred to a computer and analyzed to locate imperfections below a coating on a surface.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for display systems and methods associated with pulse detection and imaging. In one example, a system includes an imaging device configured to capture an image that includes a light pulse of a pulse sequence. The system further includes a display device. The display device is configured to receive data associated with the pulse sequence, where the data includes a location of the light pulse. The display device is further configured to display the image and an overlay on the image. The overlay is indicative of the location of the light pulse. Related devices and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A projection display unit and a function control method. The projection display unit includes: a projection optical system including an illumination section, a projection lens, and a light valve; and a detection optical system including an image pickup device, the image pickup device being disposed in a position optically conjugating with the light valve, wherein: the detection optical system is configured to detect whether an input operation is performed in a peripheral region of a projection region on a projection surface, and in response to detection by the detection optical system in the peripheral region, a specific function is caused to be executed.

Abstract: An x-ray-based casing imaging tool, defined by a combination of source collimators, located cylindrically around an X-ray source and a rotatable two-dimensional per-pixel collimated imaging detector array, is provided, the tool including at least an x-ray source; a radiation shield to define the output form of produced x-rays; a direction controllable two-dimensional per-pixel collimated imaging detector array; an imaging window within the tool housing that reduces attenuation of x-rays passing through said tool housing; sonde-dependent electronics; and a plurality of tool logic electronics and PSUs.

Abstract: In an is-TPG method in which lasers having two different wavelengths are used to generate a wavelength-variable far-infrared light, a far-infrared light (TPG light) having an unstable output at a broad wavelength is also slightly generated at the same time with only one laser light. The generated is-TPG and the TPG light are converted, after passing through a specimen, to near-infrared light inside a nonlinear optical crystal for detection and are observed by a detector. The signal light output of the is-TPG light becomes unstable due to the TPG light. According to the present invention, the TPG light is removed by means of a slit and the like (filter) immediately before the specimen and is not introduced into the nonlinear optical crystal for detection. At this time, by using a change in the emission direction when the frequency of the is TPG light is changed, the filter is moved in accordance with the frequency so that only the is-TPG light passes therethrough (see FIG. 1C).

Abstract: A chemical processing system for removing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture using a multicomponent amine-based scrubbing solution includes a spectroscopic evaluation system with a liquid contact probe for spectroscopic investigation, an energy source connected with the liquid contact probe to provide the spectroscopic stimulation energy to the probe, a spectrometer connected with the liquid contact probe to detect the spectroscopic response energy to the probe and to output spectral data corresponding to the spectroscopic response energy, and a machine learning spectral data analyzer connected to the spectrometer for evaluation of the spectral data to determine a concentration value for each of water, amine component and captured carbon dioxide in the scrubbing solution, the machine learning spectral data analyzer being trained for each such component over a corresponding trained concentration range, and optionally over a trained temperature range to provide a temperature-compensated concentration value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for estimating an efficiency of lungs of a patient receiving respiratory care. A blender has a primary input port for receiving a first gas to be delivered to the patient and one or more secondary input ports for receiving a second gas to be delivered to the patient from one or more gas sources. A patient-side port of the blender delivers the first and second gases to the patient. A gas composition sensor measures a fraction of the first gas and a gas flow sensor measures a flow of the first gas. A controller causes a sequential delivery of the first and second gases to the patient and estimates a functional residual capacity of the patient based on measurements from the gas composition sensor and from the gas flow sensor. The controller may also estimate a cardiac output of the patient.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing three-dimensional (3-D) LIDAR measurements with multiple illumination beams scanned over a 3-D environment are described herein. In one aspect, illumination light from each LIDAR measurement channel is emitted to the surrounding environment in a different direction by a beam scanning device. The beam scanning device also directs each amount of return measurement light onto a corresponding photodetector. In some embodiments, a beam scanning device includes a scanning mirror rotated in an oscillatory manner about an axis of rotation by an actuator in accordance with command signals generated by a master controller. In some embodiments, the light source and photodetector associated with each LIDAR measurement channel are moved in two dimensions relative to beam shaping optics employed to collimate light emitted from the light source. The relative motion causes the illumination beams to sweep over a range of the 3-D environment under measurement.

Abstract: A dual-frequency-comb spectrometer and a method for spectroscopic investigation of a sample are described. The spectrometer includes first and second frequency comb devices for emitting laser pulses along first and second light paths, wherein the repetition frequency of the laser pulses emitted by the second device is offset from that of the first device. First and second multi-core waveguides including at least two separate single core waveguides having field-coupling via a coupling gap therebetween are arranged in the first and second light paths. The sample is irradiated by the second frequency comb in the second light path. A detector device is arranged in a third light path where the first and second light paths are combined, for simultaneously sensing the first frequency comb and the second frequency comb after an interaction with the sample. A computing device receives output of the detector device and calculates spectroscopic properties of the sample.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for facilitating pulse detection and synchronized pulse imaging systems and methods. In one example, a system includes a light pulse detection device and an imaging device. The light pulse detection device is configured to detect a first light pulse. The light pulse detection device is further configured to determine that the first light pulse is associated with a pulse sequence. The light pulse detection device is further configured to determine timing information associated with a second light pulse of the pulse sequence. The light pulse detection device is further configured to generate data associated with the timing information. The imaging device is configured to determine an integration period based on the data. The imaging device is further configured to capture, using the integration period, an image that includes the second light pulse. Related devices and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling radiation scattering, comprises: directing radiation to a metamaterial having an array of individually tunable and near field coupled resonators, varying an individual resonance frequency of at least one of the resonators to provide a collective resonance scattering of the radiation by the metamaterial, measuring a scattering signal of the collective resonance scattering of the radiation, and identifying the metamaterial based on the scattering signal.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for determining whether an object of interest can have its temperature measurement calculated by a thermal imaging camera. To do this, the measurement IFOV is converted into linear units. The measurement IFOV may be displayed on the display of the camera as a graphical indicator (100, 100?, 100?, 100??) or a value. An object of interest can be registered with the graphical indicator (100, 100?, 100?, 100??) or its dimension compared with the measurement IFOV and then it is determined whether the temperature measurement of the object can be acceptably calculated. Alternately, data obtained by a matrix of pixel elements may be analyzed to determine whether an accurate temperature can be calculated.

Abstract: A method and/or system is provided for detecting inclusions (e.g., nickel sulfide based inclusions/defects) in soda-lime-silica based glass, such as float glass. In certain example instances, during and/or after the glass-making process, following the stage in the float process where the glass sheet is formed and floated on a molten material (e.g., tin bath) and cooled or allowed to cool such as via an annealing lehr, light is directed at the resulting glass and reflection of various wavelengths (e.g., red and blue wavelengths) is analyzed to detect inclusions.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a vehicle driving assistance device mounted in a vehicle comprises: a memory for storing an identification of a vehicle; a visible light communication unit for modulating the identification stored in the memory, and outputting the modulated identification through visible light; and a processor for activating the visible light communication unit when the vehicle enters a parking lot entrance gate, and performing control such that the visible light including the identification of the vehicle is outputted according to the activation of the visible light communication unit.

Abstract: A method of measuring a height of water on ice of the present disclosure comprises emitting terahertz radiation having a frequency of 10 THz or less toward a first surface of the ice; and measuring transmitted or reflected radiation of the terahertz radiation to measure the height of the water on the ice from a result of the measurement.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting concealed weapons using ultrawideband radar detects weapons based on circumference resonance that are characteristic of reflections for cylindrical or conic portions of a type of weapon, and based on barrel length resonances that are characteristic of barrel lengths of the type of weapon. The circumference resonances are detected using ultrawideband radar in the Mie scattering region based on a range of weapons' characteristic radii to ultrawideband wavelengths. The barrel length resonances are detected using ultrahigh frequency radar in the Mie scattering region based on range of weapons' characteristic lengths to ultrahigh frequency wavelengths. Circumferential resonance patterns and length resonance patterns are combined to provide improved weapon type identification without relying on orientation of the concealed weapons. An array of ultrawideband radar apparatus may be configured to provide synthetic aperture radar imaging of a target area.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for a waterproofing test of a vehicle. The apparatus for a waterproofing test of a vehicle includes: a terahertz wave oscillating unit to oscillate a terahertz wave and irradiate the terahertz wave to a specific test part, a terahertz wave detecting unit to detect the terahertz wave reflected by the test part, and a control unit to determine whether water penetrated into the test part by comparing actual power of the terahertz detected by the terahertz wave detecting unit with a predetermined reference power.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an optical ranging device. The optical ranging device comprises a housing, a bottom cover, an emitting lens, a receiving lens and a circuit board. The emitting lens and the receiving lens are fixed on the circuit board. The circuit board comprises a light emitting module, receiving module and data processing and controlling module. An infrared light emitted by a light source of the light emitting module passes through the emitting lens and the housing successively and enters the external environment. The infrared light reflected by the object passes through the housing and the receiving lens successively and is received by the receiving module which is connected to a signal processing and controlling module. The distance between the optical ranging device and the object is calculated based on the Time of Flight principle.

Abstract: This disclosure presents a novel method and system for enhanced-resolution THz imaging whereby an enhanced-resolution THz image is developed by deconvolution of the original THz image that is developed using THz signals that are manipulated in time-domain and/or in frequency-domain and a point spread function (PSF) that is developed according to an equation wherein said THz signals in time-domain and/or frequency-domain are input parameters. By using this method and system, enhanced-resolution THz images with better quality and resolution than the quality and resolution of the conventional THz images are achieved. By implementing this method, finer features are observable in the resulted image and more accurate measurement is achieved.

Abstract: The image recognition device includes a measurement point determination section adapted to detect a finger located between a camera and a screen from an image obtained by the camera, and determine a fingertip of the finger, a linear pattern display section adapted to make a projector display a linear pattern on an epipolar line which passes through the fingertip and is determined from a positional relationship between the camera and a projector, and a pattern determination section adapted to determine, from an image including the linear pattern obtained by the camera, a difference between the linear pattern included in that image, and the linear pattern in a case in which the fingertip is absent.

Abstract: A method for estimating a thickness related to multiple conductive structural elements of an object, the method includes estimating a height difference between an upper surface of a conductive structural element and an upper surface of a photoresists layer portion that surrounds the conductive structural element, to provide multiple height differences; estimating thicknesses of the multiple photoresists layer portions, based at least on the second part of the emitted radiation; and calculating thickness values related to the multiple conductive structural elements, wherein the calculating is based at least on the multiple height differences and on the estimated thickness of the multiple photoresists layer portions.

Abstract: A method for detecting surface impurities on a surface of a component by X-ray fluorescence analysis uses a hand spectroscope for application to the surface of a component. The hand spectroscope comprises an X-ray source, a fluorescent radiation detector, an analyzer and a display. The method comprises irradiating the surface of the component with X-rays using the X-ray source; detecting fluorescent radiation, which is emitted by the surface of the component as a result of the irradiation with the X-rays, using the fluorescent radiation detector; measuring a radiation spectrum of the detected fluorescent radiation; generating an evaluation result by analyzing the measured radiation spectrum using the analyzer, the evaluation result comprising a quantitative measure of the surface impurity of the surface due to predetermined characteristic substances; and outputting the generated evaluation result on the display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for checking tyres in a tyre production line. The method includes alternately illuminating, with a first and second grazing light radiation, a surface portion of the tyre and respectively acquiring a first and second two-dimensional digital image of the illuminated surface portion. For each point of the surface portion, the respective overall light power of the first and second light radiation incident at the point respectively comes from two half-spaces that are opposite with respect to an optical plane passing through the perpendicular to the surface at the point; and comparing the first and second image to obtain information on an altimetric profile of the surface portion.

Abstract: A terahertz wave spectroscopic measurement device includes a light source that emits a terahertz wave and probe light having a wavelength different from that of the terahertz wave, an internal total reflection prism including an incidence surface of the terahertz wave, a placement surface on which a measurement target is placed, and an emission surface of the terahertz wave, the internal total reflection prism internally totally reflecting the terahertz wave incident from the incidence surface by means of the placement surface and emitting the terahertz wave from the emission surface, and a terahertz wave detection unit that indirectly detects the terahertz wave emitted from the emission surface using the probe light. The internal total reflection prism includes an avoidance portion on which incidence of the probe light on the measurement target on the placement surface is avoided.

Abstract: A Raman spectrum inspection apparatus is provided, including: a exciting light source configured to emit an exciting light to a sample to be inspected; an optical device configured to collect an optical signal from a position, which is irradiated by the exciting light, of the sample to be inspected; and a spectrometer configured to generate a Raman spectrum of the sample to be inspected from the received optical signal, wherein an excitation optical path in which the exciting light passes from the exciting light device to the sample to be inspected and a detection optical path in which the optical signal received by the spectrometer passes from the sample to be inspected to the spectrometer are separated from each other.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a light source, an imaging device, and one or more processors. The light source is configured to direct an illumination light having a controlled light characteristic towards a surface of a thermal barrier coating of a work piece. The imaging device is configured to capture image data of the surface of the thermal barrier coating by monitoring the illumination light reflected off the surface. The one or more processors are operably connected to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data of the surface by comparing the image data to reference image data depicting a first designated microstructure. The first designated microstructure has an associated coating quality value. The one or more processors are configured to determine that the thermal barrier coating of the work piece has the first designated microstructure based on the analysis.

Abstract: A device and method of enhancing terahertz wave signals based on a hollow metal waveguide are disclosed. Simple devices such as a beam splitter, multiple plane mirrors, a beam combiner and an adjustable delay system are used. Two laser beams having a wavelength of 800 nm split by the beam splitter generate a fixed time phase delay, and are converged in the hollow metal waveguide to sequentially overlap with pulse of a laser having a wavelength of 400 nm for nonlinear interaction to ionize gas in the optical fiber to generate terahertz waves. The hollow metal waveguide can converge and transmit the generated terahertz waves due to its total reflection characteristics.

Abstract: A system for visualizing melanin present in tissue can include an imaging system to record a signal based on a presence of melanin in tissue and a display device to display an image based on the signal. A first laser source can emit a Stokes pulse train and a second laser source can emit a pump pulse train. Both the first laser source and the second laser source comprise a tunable center wavelength or frequency. An energy difference between a frequency of the Stokes pulse train and a frequency of the pump pulse train is from 1750 cm?1 to 2250 cm?1. The Stokes and the pump pulse train overlap in space and time. A scanning mechanism focuses the combined Stokes pulse train and pump pulse train within the tissue and scans across the tissue. A detector detects the signal based on a presence of melanin within the tissue.

Abstract: A thermal processing and control system (300) includes a thermal processing station (312) for receiving food products (14) being carried on a conveyor system (316). A first scanning station (318) is located upstream from the thermal processing station (312) for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (316). An actuator (420) automatically connects temperature measuring devices (402) with selected food products (14). A diverter conveyor (324) diverts selected food products (14) from the conveyor (316) to a transverse conveyor (326) for either further processing or alternative processing, depending on how system (300) is configured. The temperature measuring devices (402) are automatically removed from the food products at station (329).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a terahertz measuring apparatus for measuring a layer thickness and/or a distance, wherein at least one terahertz beam (7a) is radiated from a terahertz transmission and reception unit (4) along an optical axis (C) onto the measurement object (2, 102) and terahertz radiation (7) that has passed through at least one layer (3) of the measurement object (2, 102) and having been reflected is detected wherein a measurement signal (A) of the detected reflected terahertz radiation (7b) is evaluated and a layer thickness (d) is ascertained from a propagation time difference (t2?t1) of the radiation (7) reflected at boundary layers (2a, 2b) of the layer (3).

Abstract: A method for modulating a response signal includes introducing functionalized particles into a lumen of subsurface vasculature, wherein the functionalized particles are configured to interact with one or more target analytes present in blood circulating in the subsurface vasculature; and non-invasively detecting the one or more target analytes. A response signal, which may include a background signal and an analyte response signal related to interaction of the functionalized particles with the one or more target analytes, is transmitted from the subsurface vasculature. A modulation configured to alter the response signal such that the analyte response signal is affected differently than the background signal may be applied to a portion of subsurface vasculature. Analyte detection may be achieved by differentiating the analyte response signal from the background signal.

Abstract: Images captured by a camera system of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be used to determine a weather condition in an environment of the UAV. The camera system of the UAV can capture one or more images, and a characteristic of at least one image of the one or more images can be determined from image data associated with the at least one image. A weather condition of the environment of the UAV can be determined based at least in part on the characteristic of the at least one image.

Abstract: A microscope system includes a scanner that scans laser light emitted from a continuous-wave light source on a specimen, a beam splitter that splits fluorescence from the specimen into a plurality of light paths with the same wavelength, a plurality of PMTs that respectively detect the fluorescence in the light paths and output light intensity signals, and a computer. Each time the laser light is repeatedly scanned by the scanner, the computer acquires, for each of the PMTs, an image dataset of the specimen based on the light intensity signals. The computer combines a plurality of the image datasets for the same area of the specimen and subjects a final combined image dataset to computational processing for enhancing high-frequency components.

Abstract: A terahertz antenna includes at least one photoconductive layer which generates charge carriers upon irradiation of light and two electroconductive antenna elements via which an electric field can be applied to at least one section of the photoconductive layer. The photoconductive layer being doped with a dopant in a concentration of at least 1×1018 cm?3, the dopant being a transition metal. The photoconductive layer is produced by molecular beam epitaxy at a growth temperature of at least 200° C. and not more than 500° C., the dopant being arranged in the photoconductive layer such that it produces a plurality of point defects.

Abstract: A terahertz image measurement device includes a terahertz detection sensor, a magnetic field generating unit, and a measurement control unit. The sensor detects near-field light of terahertz light emitted from a sample. The magnetic field generating unit has a coil disposed around the sample and the sensor, and wound to surround the optical axis of terahertz light irradiated on the sensor, and applies to the sensor a magnetic field generated by allowing an electric current to flow through the coil. The measurement control unit changes a value of the electric current flowing through the coil, sets a strength of the magnetic field to a magnetic field value for which a detection signal level of the terahertz light detected by the sensor increases prominently, and allows the magnetic field value to conform to a specific frequency of the terahertz light.

Abstract: A method may include generating, within a device, separate and discrete wavelengths, and generating light intensity profiles based on an interaction between the separate and discrete wavelengths and a multi-wavelength diffractive optic element. The method may include detecting an object from light reflected from the object using the light intensity profiles. The light intensity profiles may include a shorter range light intensity profile and a longer range light intensity profile, each light intensity profile having different energy per solid angle patterns.

Abstract: An optical device and a method for detecting a flaw of a transparent substrate. A first detection unit is configured to detect the substrate at a predetermined low resolution, where the first detection unit includes a first photosensitive element and a first lens between the substrate and the first photosensitive element, and the first photosensitive element and the first lens are disposed such that an object plane is inclined relative to the substrate; a second detection unit configured to detect the substrate at a predetermined high resolution, where the second detection unit includes a second photosensitive element and a second lens between the substrate and the second photosensitive element; and a processor configured to determine a portion of the flaws detected by the first detection unit as flaws to be detected by the second detection unit, and to determine a type of flaw for the substrate imaged.

Abstract: An NDIR gas sensor has high responsiveness and less noise and includes a radiating section arranged to radiate an infrared ray, a detecting section arranged to detect the infrared ray radiated by the radiating section, and a sample cell extending between the radiating section and the detecting section along a route of the infrared ray and covering the entire circumference of the route of the infrared ray. The sample cell includes a plurality of cell elements extending along the route of the infrared ray. Side portions of the cell elements adjacent to each other overlap at an interval from each other.

Abstract: A multistatic array topology and image reconstruction process for fast 3D near field microwave imaging are presented. Together, the techniques allow for hardware efficient realization of an electrically large aperture and video-rate image reconstruction. The array topology samples the scene on a regular grid of phase centers, using a tiling of multistatic arrays. Following a multistatic-to-monostatic correction, the sampled data can then be processed with the well-known and highly efficient monostatic Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) imaging algorithm. In this work, the approach is described and validated experimentally with the formation of high quality microwave images. The scheme is more than two orders of magnitude more computationally efficient than the backprojection method. In fact, it is so efficient that a cluster of four commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) graphical processing units (GPUs) can render a 3D image of a human-sized scene in 0.048-0.101 seconds.

Abstract: A terahertz wave is spectrally dispersed into two waves which are caused to pass through a sample liquid film 101 and a reference liquid film 102 and are then collected, and the terahertz waves in an interference state are detected by a terahertz wave detecting semiconductor 15. Consequently, only spectroscopic information related to a distinctive characteristic of the sample liquid film 101 is detected. In addition, a predetermined optical path length difference is provided between a path where the terahertz wave is transmitted through the sample liquid film 101 and a path where the terahertz wave is transmitted through the reference liquid film 102 by an optical delaying unit 17.

Abstract: A terahertz wave spectrometry system that is capable of identifying analyzing target molecules contained in an analyte even if the analyte contains water, by activating a water remover to remove water according a comparison of absorption spectrums so that water in the analyte is easily removed without causing the analyzing target molecules to disappear due to decomposition or denaturation.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for confocal microscopy in the near-infrared. wavelength. The device uses a near-infrared (NIR) light producing source such as laser; optical components designed to reflect and transmit NIR from a sample; and an NIR detector coupled to a computer for constructing a focal plane image from a raster scan. The detector may be a photodiode or photo-multiplier tube for detecting fluorescence signals in the NIR (800-1700 nm) wavelength range using a variety of NIR-I (800-1000 nm) and NIR-II (1000-1700 nm) dyes and nanomaterials. An imaging method is described using the NIR-confocal microscope for slice by slice 3D imaging of biological tissues throughout a thickness up to, for example, 5 mm in the NIR-II window. The reduced scattering in NIR-II allows for tissue penetration up to about 5-10 mm, superior to ˜0.2 mm afforded by conventional imaging.

Abstract: A method for producing an electronic device involves forming a graphene precursor on a first portion of a common semiconductor substrate, forming a graphene layer on the graphene precursor, and forming a semiconductor device on a second portion of the common semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method automatically separates out the defect image from a thermogram sequence based on the physical characteristics of the defect of a conductive material in electromagnetic field. Defect area radiates more heat than other area, when it is mapped to the histogram of the image to be separated, the defect area is located in the top-end of histogram, and the proportion of defect area is smaller to the background or other area. The method equally divides the histogram of the image to be separated into multi groups, and calculates the first derivative ki of total pixel number Si of group i, finds the maximum absolute value of ki, i.e. |ki|max, where i is expressed as imax; if imax is the last group, Wn is regarded as threshold T, otherwise, Wimax+1 is selected as threshold T. The pixels that less than threshold T are removed to obtain the defect image in ECPT.

Abstract: A probe system is configured to receive thermal images of the probe system from a thermal imager and includes a heater and a control circuit. The heater includes a resistive heating element routed through the probe. An operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe. The control circuit is configured to provide the operational voltage and receive the thermal images from the thermal imager. The control circuit is further configured to monitor the thermal images over time and determine a remaining useful life of the probe system based upon the thermal images over time.

Abstract: A flash thermography device for generating an infrared image of each of a plurality of rotating turbine components located inside a turbine. The device includes an infrared sensor for detecting thermal energy radiated by each component. The device also includes a borescope having a viewing end located on a longitudinal axis of the borescope. The borescope is positioned in an inspection port to locate the viewing end inside the turbine such that at least one component is within a field of view of the viewing end. In addition, the device includes a flash source that generates a plurality of light pulses corresponding to the number of components that rotate during a single rotation of the rotor, wherein the light pulses are oriented substantially transverse to the longitudinal. Thermal energy radiated from each component is transmitted through the borescope to the infrared sensor to enable generation infrared images.

Abstract: A system and method for the detection of foreign object debris materials or defects on and/or under a surface (e.g., outer ply) of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine. A gantry moves over the composite part along a predetermined length thereof. A thermal excitation source fixed to the gantry directs infrared radiation across the width of the surface of the composite part. A infrared camera fixed to the gantry a predetermined distance away from the thermal excitation source scans the surface as the gantry moves to detect and output scan information thereof. A controller is coupled to the thermal excitation source and to the infrared camera. The controller processes the sequence of infrared images to identify a foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.