Abstract: A cutting apparatus for cutting a food object where inlet and outlet conveyors are arranged in an end-to-end arrangement. A moving mechanism is provided for adjusting the relative position between the ends of the inlet and outlet conveyors, a cutting device is provided having a cutting plane extending between the inlet and outlet conveyors, a detection mechanism is provided for detecting at least one characteristics related to the food object, and a control device is provided for controlling the moving mechanism and the cutting device. Controlling the moving mechanism includes utilizing the at least one detected characteristics in determining a target width of an opening between the ends of the inlet and outlet conveyors, and controlling the cutting device includes subsequently cutting the food object into smaller food pieces. The target width of the opening is selected such that it allows smaller food pieces to fall through the opening.

Abstract: A terminal for measuring at least one dimension of an object includes a range camera, a visible camera, and a display that are fixed in position and orientation relative to each other. The range camera is configured to produce a range image of an area in which the object is located. The visible camera is configured to produce a visible image of an area in which the object is located. The display is configured to present information associated with the range camera's field of view and the visible camera's field of view.

Abstract: A medical pump or the like provides a flow sensor element that may be integrated into the IV tubing assembly. The flow sensor element fits within the medical pump which may provide for capacitive plates sensing changes in the electrical environment within the flow sensor element to deduce flow. For example, the flow sensor element may promote free space liquid drops that cause a periodic change in capacitance across the flow sensor element or the flow sensor element may hold a physical turbine or the like whose movement changes the capacitance across the capacitive plates.

Abstract: Volume dimensioning employs techniques to reduce multipath reflection or return of illumination, and hence distortion. Volume dimensioning for any given target object includes a sequence of one or more illuminations and respective detections of returned illumination. A sequence typically includes illumination with at least one initial spatial illumination pattern and with one or more refined spatial illumination patterns. Refined spatial illumination patterns are generated based on previous illumination in order to reduce distortion. The number of refined spatial illumination patterns in a sequence may be fixed, or may vary based on results of prior illumination(s) in the sequence. Refined spatial illumination patterns may avoid illuminating background areas that contribute to distortion. Sometimes, illumination with the initial spatial illumination pattern may produce sufficiently acceptable results, and refined spatial illumination patterns in the sequence omitted.

Abstract: A configurable scanner (1), for contactless measurement of the depth and perimeter of a wound on a target body part (9), has a scan head (4), and is configured to be controlled by a processor (3) for controlling a scanning procedure and analyzing the results. The scan head (4) projects a contour line onto a surface the target body part, and captures an image of the projected contour line. A series of captured images are analyzed to create a three dimensional model of the wound, and determine at least one of depth, perimeter and volume of the wound from the three dimensional model.

Abstract: A configurable scanner (1), adapted for contactless measurement of the depth and perimeter of a wound on a target body part (9), has a scan head (4), and a processor (3) for controlling a scanning procedure and analyzing the results. The scan head is translated along a substantially semicircular path (7) having a configurable radial distance from an imaginary axis, such that the imaginary axis is approximately coincident with an axis of the target (9). The scan head (4) projects a contour line having a calibrated length onto the target surface, and the processor (3) stores an image of the projected contour line captured by an image capturing device (11). The processor (3) analyzes a series of captured images to determine the coordinates in three axes of the projected contour line, creates therefrom a 3D model of the region of interest, and determines a depth and perimeter of the wound from the 3D model.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring volumes. The apparatus includes a base having a central processing unit, a receiver and a dock; and a scanner having an inertial navigation system, a transmitter, a sensor, a reset control, and a trigger in communication with a microprocessor. An alternate embodiment scanner may include an exclude control, which instructs the central processing unit to exclude floor, ceiling, and walls from the volume calculation. The method of measuring volumes includes the steps of placing the scanner in the dock, actuating a reset control which establishes a reference point for the inertial navigation system, scanning objects, transmitting the data points scanned to the central processing unit, and calculating the volume of the object(s) scanned.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring volumes. The apparatus includes a base having a central processing unit, a receiver and 3-D radar; and a scanner having a transmitter, a penetrating sensor, and a trigger in communication with a microprocessor, and a plurality of radio frequency identification tags. An alternate embodiment scanner may include an exclusion control, which instructs the central processing unit to exclude floor, ceiling, and/or walls from the volume calculation. The method of measuring volumes includes the steps of the central processing unit determining a position of the scanner relative to the base, scanning an object with the penetrating sensor, transmitting the points scanned to the central processing unit, and calculating the volume of the object(s) scanned by summing a base vector with a scanner vector to determine a target position vector for each point scanned.

Abstract: In a wound scanning apparatus and method, a beam or sheet of light is scanned on a wound and reflections of the scanned beam or sheet of light interacting with the wound at a plurality of points thereof is detected. The detected reflections are processed into data representative of the wound. The data or a representation thereof is reproduced in a human understandable form.

Abstract: A method of measuring a mailpiece includes deflecting a laser beam through an arc, determining an angle at which the laser beam is currently directed, and calculating a dimension of the mailpiece based at least in part on the determined angle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring volumes. The apparatus includes a base having a central processing unit, a receiver and a dock; and a scanner having an inertial navigation system, a transmitter, a sensor, a reset control, and a trigger in communication with a microprocessor. An alternate embodiment scanner may include an exclude control, which instructs the central processing unit to exclude floor, ceiling, and walls from the volume calculation. The method of measuring volumes includes the steps of placing the scanner in the dock, actuating a reset control which establishes a reference point for the inertial navigation system, scanning objects, transmitting the data points scanned to the central processing unit, and calculating the volume of the object(s) scanned.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the selecting out of winnowings in the manufacture of smokable products, in particular cigarettes, wherein the current size distribution of a stream of tobacco particles passing a measuring point, per unit of time, is detected and compared with a settable nominal size distribution, and wherein an arrangement for separating the winnowings is continually adjusted, depending on the result of said comparison, and to a corresponding device comprising a sensor for detecting the current size distribution, an arrangement for inputting a nominal size distribution, an arrangement for comparing said current size distribution with said settable nominal size distribution, and lastly an adjusting arrangement for setting the arrangement for separating the winnowings, depending on the output signal of said comparing arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting the particles of a tobacco particle stream in the production of smokable articles by scanning by means of a fine-beam light barrier, the diameter of which is smaller than the dimensions of the tobacco particles, and from the distribution of the dimensions of the tobacco particles determined by darkening of the fine-beam light barrier.

Abstract: A system in which a succession of products (12) to (16) traverse a gap between two conveyors (10, 18), comprises a ring (32) carrying an array of one or more equi-spaced laser displacement transducers (36-42) connected to a computer (48). The ring is disposed perpendicular to the direction of product movement, such that each product (e.g. a log of food) passes through its central region, the ring being rotatable in a continuous or oscillatory manner. Signals received by the computer from the transducers are stored and computed to determine the shape and/or size of the product to enable the product to be cut into an optimum number of pieces. A method is described for determining volume and thereby weight using mean density values for the products, of irregularly shaped bulk product, particularly fresh meat.

Abstract: A three-dimensional measurement system and method for objects, such as oysters, projects one or more laser lines onto a surface on which the object is currently located. The laser lines are picked up as parallel lines by a camera where no object is located on the surface. When an object is located on the surface, the camera obtains an image that includes lines displaced from the parallel lines as a result of the lines impinging on portions of the object that have a particular height associated therewith. The displacement data allows a processor to determine the height of the object at various positions of the object can be obtained. Volume can be obtained using a binary image of the object to calculate area from the height data. The object can then be classified according to its volume.

Abstract: The process uses information from the scan sweeps of a laser scanner to obtain a set of stipulated areas which correspond to successive cross-sections of the object and are reckoned by moving the object relative to the scanner. The volume is obtained by multiplying each of these areas by the feed distance of the object. The angles of inclination of the scan plan can selectively be taken into account, or ignored when sufficiently small. The volume measurement may be taken at the same time as an optical code provided on the object is read.