Abstract: A load scanning apparatus for taking physical measurements from a load. The load scanning apparatus has a scanning robot including a plurality of sensors arranged in an array spanning substantially across at least one load dimension in a first direction. The array of sensors moves together in a second direction, in a scanning plane. The plurality of sensors are configured to take images of the load from the scanning plane, and are configured to capture distance information about the distance of said load from the scanning plane.

Abstract: A dispenser comprising a body comprising a front side and a back side, and a product holding area defined by the front side and the back side, wherein the product holding area is configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism operatively coupled to the consumable product, and wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of the consumable product in response to a user pulling on an exposed portion of the consumable product; a product advancement device coupled to the dispensing mechanism and accessible external to the body, and wherein the product advancement device is configured to allow a user to manually actuate the dispensing mechanism; a product advancement sensor configured to sense the manual actuation; and a data processing device configured to communicate with the product advancement sensor and transmit an alert indicating the manual actuation.

Abstract: A sensor for determining a liquid type, includes: a plano-convex lens; a lens holder configured to support the plano-convex lens via an edge of the lens; an outputting optical fiber that abuts against a plane surface of the plano-convex lens to output light; a light-receiving optical fiber that abuts against the plane surface of the plano-convex lens to receive light; a light-emitting unit connected to the outputting optical fiber; and a light amount measuring unit connected to the light-receiving optical fiber to measure a light amount. The outputting optical fiber is provided so that an end face of the outputting optical fiber is disposed on the edge of the plano-convex lens, and preferably, a central axis thereof at the end face thereof passes through the plane surface of the plano-convex lens.

Abstract: A load scanning apparatus for taking physical measurements from a load. The load scanning apparatus has a scanning robot including a plurality of sensors arranged in an array spanning substantially across at least one load dimension in a first direction. The array of sensors moves together in a second direction, in a scanning plane. The plurality of sensors are configured to take images of the load from the scanning plane, and are configured to capture distance information about the distance of said load from the scanning plane.

Abstract: Disclosed are a medical device and a data management method therefor. The data management method includes: receiving an instruction for selecting a locking rule to determine a target locking rule, wherein the target locking rule is used for screening monitoring data so as to carry out locking; under the trigger of a first trigger condition, screening the monitoring data according to the target locking rule, and locking the screened monitoring data; and under the trigger of a second trigger condition, selectively deleting monitoring data that is not locked. An operator can selectively lock the monitoring data by selecting the locking rule, thereby avoiding the deletion of monitoring data needing to be retained, and facilitating the management of the monitoring data.

Abstract: A drive base module of a modularly constructed multifunctional handheld machine is configured to connect to at least one attachment device. The drive base module includes at least one connection device including at least one drive-technological interface and/or a data-technological interface configured to connect to the at least one attachment device. The drive base module further includes at least one drive unit configured to drive the at least one attachment device in a state in which the at least one attachment device is connected to the at least one connection device. The drive base module further includes at least one rechargeable battery unit; and at least one information output unit configured to output information to an operator acoustically and/or haptically.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media for characterizing print volume information for a printing asset are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: query a first computer-readable medium having stored thereon a first print volume data; query a second computer-readable medium having stored thereon a second print volume data; perform a statistical analysis based at least on the first and second print volume data to generate a print volume statistic; code a print volume classification for storage on a data storage device; and store the print volume classification on the data storage device such that the print volume classification is accessible via a structured query.

Abstract: An image processing system receives an image depicting a bundle of boards. The bundle of boards has a front face that is perpendicular to a long axis of boards and the image is captured at an angle relative to the long axis. The image processing system applies a homographic transformation to estimate a frontal view of the front face and identifies a plurality of divisions between rows in the estimate. For each adjacent pair of the plurality of divisions between rows, a plurality of vertical divisions is identified. The image processing system identifies a set of bounding boxes defined by pairs of adjacent divisions between rows and pairs of adjacent vertical divisions. The image processing system may filter and/or merge some bounding boxes to better match the bounding boxes to individual boards. Based on the bounding boxes, the image processing system determines the number of boards in the bundle.

Abstract: A method for transferring medical products comprises the steps of conveying medical products on an oscillating conveyor having a plurality of conveying lanes arranged next to each other to a delivery area of the conveyor lanes and from the delivery area into at least one shaft; detecting a defective product in one of the conveying lanes; and activating a diverter device for defective products, which is arranged adjacent to the delivery area of this conveying lane, when a defective product is detected, wherein the diverter device, upon activation, is shifted or pivoted into an activated position, in which the diverter device is located in a transport path of the defective product.

Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus that includes an estimation unit that estimates, based on sensing data provided by a plurality of sensors carried or worn by a user, a type of a moving body on which the user is riding. The information processing apparatus further includes a selection unit that selects information to be used for processing for obtaining a position of the user in the moving body using the type of the moving body estimated by the estimation unit.

Abstract: A smart control system for monitoring a bathroom includes a server, a smart toilet, a smart door handle, and a roller. The smart toilet includes a first sensor configured to detect whether the smart toilet is clean and send a first detection result to the server. The smart door handle includes a second sensor configured to detect whether the door of the bathroom is in an open state or a closed state and send a second detection result to the server. The roller includes a third sensor configured to detect a usage of the toilet paper on the roller and send a third detection result to the server. The server analyzes the first detection result, the second detection result, and the third detection result to obtain an analysis result. The server performs corresponding operations according to the analysis result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a display module includes a backlight illuminator, an ambient light sensor configured to generate an output signal, and a backlight controller module operably coupled with the backlight illuminator, the ambient light sensor, and configured to determine the operational status signal of the ambient light sensor based on the output signal and operate backlight illuminator in accordance with the operational status signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to labeling and/or printing devices, methods and systems for applying coding and/or labeling to containers that are stacked or otherwise organized in a group (e.g., containers stacked on a pallet). In embodiments of the invention, labeling and/or printing devices are mounted on carriages that are capable of moving in a vertical direction to apply labels as they move. Horizontal movement is imparted either by moving such carriages in a horizontal direction adjacent to the containers, or by moving the containers themselves (or the pallet holding them) in a horizontal direction adjacent to such carriages. Multiple carriages with labeling devices may be provided to provide simultaneous labeling to more than one side of a group of stacked containers. Embodiments of the invention are capable of providing labeling of containers that are uniformly or non-uniformly grouped or stacked.

Abstract: An image processing system receives an image depicting a bundle of boards. The bundle of boards has a front face that is perpendicular to a long axis of boards and the image is captured at an angle relative to the long axis. The image processing system applies a homographic transformation to estimate a frontal view of the front face and identifies a plurality of divisions between rows in the estimate. For each adjacent pair of the plurality of divisions between rows, a plurality of vertical divisions is identified. The image processing system identifies a set of bounding boxes defined by pairs of adjacent divisions between rows and pairs of adjacent vertical divisions. The image processing system may filter and/or merge some bounding boxes to better match the bounding boxes to individual boards. Based on the bounding boxes, the image processing system determines the number of boards in the bundle.

Abstract: A method for identifying a particle contained in a sample, including illuminating the sample using a light source, the light source producing an incident light wave propagating toward the sample, then acquiring, using a matrix-array photodetector, an image of the sample, the sample being placed between the light source and the photodetector such that the matrix-array photodetector is exposed to a light wave that is the result of interference between the incident light wave and a diffraction wave produced by each particle. The method further includes applying a numerical reconstruction algorithm to the image acquired by the photodetector, to estimate a characteristic quantity of the light wave reaching the detector, at a plurality of distances from the detector. The variation in the characteristic quantity as a function of distance allows the particle to be identified.

Abstract: Mediums, apparatus, computer program code, and means may be provided to launch electronic messages via a distributed communication network by an automated back-end application computer server. According to some embodiments, a database import table associated with a set of electronic destination communication addresses may be created. The set of electronic destination communication addresses may be automatically and dynamically split into multivariate segments, including at least: a current message content subset, a first modified message content subset, and a second modified message content subset. Current message content, first modified message content, and second modified message content may then be automatically launched to electronic destination communication addresses as appropriate in accordance with the multivariate segments.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting and classifying sounds around a vehicle via neural network machine learning are described. The method involves an audio recognition system that may determine the origin of the sounds being inside or outside of a vehicle and classify the sounds into different categories such as adult, child, or animal sounds. The audio recognition system may communicate with a plurality of sensors in and around the vehicle to obtain information of conditions of the vehicle. Based on information of the sounds and conditions of the vehicles, the audio recognition system may determine whether an occupant or the vehicle is at risk and send alert messages or issue warning signals.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a time synchronization method and apparatus, which belong to the field of the Internet. The method includes: counting down, when a data processing right of a network application is allocated to a first user, a processing time of the first user, the first user being a user in a user group; stopping, when the first user is disconnected and logs in to the network application again in a process of countdown, if a processing operation sent by a first user terminal is received, the process of countdown, to obtain a remaining processing time of the first user, the processing operation including an operation of abandoning the data processing right or a network data processing operation; and sending the remaining processing time to the first user terminal and a second user terminal separately, so that the first user terminal and the second user terminal separately display the remaining processing time, a second user being a user other than the first user in the user group.

Abstract: Methods for facilitating the creation of templates used to convert service data from a non-displayable format to alternate formats which are suited to be displayed on various client devices. In a preferred embodiment, the data corresponding to a selected service is examined to identify name-value pairs. A user is queried for a label corresponding to each pair. Formatting information for a plurality of client devices is contained in a master template. This information is used to generate a plurality of templates which are specific to the service data and the client devices and which are configured to convert the name-value pairs into formats adapted to be displayed on the corresponding devices.

Abstract: A multi-area passive infrared sensor (PIF) produces a two-dimensional image formed of a grid of squares corresponding to adjacent elementary areas of an area to be monitored, with, for each square, a respective heat signal. The squares of the grid are classified into authorized and secured squares, and the device produces, for each square, an indicator of presence/absence of a target. In the presence of a detected target in at least one square, the processor conditionally delivers an alert as a function of i) the position on the grid of the detected target and ii) of the classification into authorized or secured square of the square in which this target is detected. A data memory stores a history of the states of the grid, and the processor performs a tracking of the target by an algorithm based on adjacent squares, based on this history.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to, for example, a transceiver system capable of notifying a transmission device of an asynchronous state of a reception device with a simple configuration. The reception device includes an input unit, a synchronous-state detector, a resistance-value controller, and a terminal resistor. When the synchronous-state detector detects the asynchronous state, the resistance-value controller sets a resistance value of the terminal resistor to a resistance value indicating the asynchronous state. The transmission device includes an output unit, an amplitude detector, an output controller, and a transmission resistor. The output controller causes the output unit to output a signal constituting normal data including clock information when the synchronous state of the reception device is detected, and causes the output unit to output a signal constituting training data including the clock information when the asynchronous state of the reception device is detected.

Abstract: A product dispenser includes a housing configured to receive a supply of product, a dispensing mechanism disposed and configured to dispense the product, and a controller operably coupled to the dispensing mechanism. The controller includes a processer responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the processor facilitates: recording of usage data associated with the product; calculation of a usage rate of the product; and, prediction of at least one of a depletion date of the product, a time to depletion of the product, a time to near-depletion of the product, and a near-depletion date of the product.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include an occupancy sensing unit configured to monitor an environment illuminated by a lighting fixture. An inventive occupancy sensing unit may include an occupancy sensor to detect radiation indicative of at least one occupancy event in the environment illuminated by the lighting fixture according to sensing parameters. The occupancy sensor can be coupled to a memory that logs sensor data, which represent the occupancy events, provided by the occupancy sensor. A processor coupled to the memory performs an analysis of the sensor data logged in the memory and adjusts the sensing parameters of the occupancy sensor based on the analysis.

Abstract: A particle size distribution creating method includes a particle size range determining step, an integrating step of integrating the frequency of appearance of particles within the particle size range determined in the particle size range determining step, a division point determining step of determining particle sizes that provide division points, using the integral of the frequency of appearance obtained in the integrating step, and a typical point determining step of determining the minimum particle size, maximum particle size and the particle sizes of the division points as typical points.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of characterizing a small molecule organic material, e.g., a drug or a drug product. This method includes subjecting the solid small molecule organic material to x-ray total scattering analysis at a short wavelength, collecting data generated thereby, and mathematically transforming the data to provide a refined set of data.

Abstract: A device for determining particle size distribution on-line for concentrated dispersions or emulsions. The device includes an electronic block for generating electric pulses of specified frequencies on MHz scale and measuring magnitude and phase thereof. An acoustic sensor has an ultrasound transmitter to convert the electric pulses into ultrasound pulses of a same frequency and an ultrasound receiver to convert the ultrasound pulses back into electric pulses. The transmitter and the receiver each have a respective face. A stepping motor is connected to a movable piston, which carries one of the ultrasound transmitter or the ultrasound receiver thereon. A pipe with a flexible wall to conduct the dispersion or emulsion past the acoustic sensor. The pipe is disposed between the transmitter and the receiver, and the pipe has an exterior surface. The face of the transmitter and the face of the receiver are affixed to the exterior surface of the pipe.

Abstract: In order to reduce a calculation time of a particle size distribution, a particle size distribution measuring apparatus includes: a light source for irradiating light to particles to be measured; a plurality of photodetectors for detecting light intensities of diffracted/scattered lights caused by the irradiation of the light; and an operation part for receiving light intensity signals outputted from the respective photodetectors and calculating a particle size distribution of the particles based on the fact that a vector s is represented by a predetermined expression including a product of a vector q and a coefficient matrix K, and the operation part is configured to compute in parallel and calculate at least two elements of the elements of the coefficient matrix K.

Abstract: A paper money detection and counting device comprises: a sensor unit which is used for converting the output signals of a plurality of sensors distributed on a paper money transmission passage into a transmission state which characterizes whether paper money is present or not, each sensor corresponding to a paper money counter; a calculation unit which calculates the paper money distance between the current detection position of any sensor and the front end position of the currently detected paper money according to the transmission state output by the sensor unit; and a control unit, once the paper money distance calculated by the calculation unit goes beyond a paper money spacing standard value, the control unit looking up the transmission states output accumulatively by the sensors currently, when it is found that at least one transmission state characterizes that the paper money state changes from existence to nonexistence, adding 1 to the count value of the paper money counter corresponding to the sensor

Abstract: Example embodiments disclose a drive system including a machine including a plurality of phases and configured to generate power based on a plurality of phase currents, each respectively associated with the plurality of phases and a direct current (DC) bus, operatively connected to the machine. The DC bus includes a high-side line, a low-side line, and an inverter including a plurality of switching systems, operatively connected between the high-side line and the low-side line, the plurality of switching systems, each configured to output a respective one of the plurality of phase currents. The drive system also includes a controller, operatively connected to the DC bus and the machine, the controller configured to determine if a failure exists in the drive system based on the plurality of phase currents and a DC bus voltage, the DC bus voltage being a voltage across the high-side line and the low-side line.

Abstract: A method for selecting fans for a server cabinet includes the following steps. First, a type of fan stored in a database is selected, and the parameters related to the fan of the selected type are compared to input parameters of a server cabinet. Second, a maximum quantity of the fan of the selected type that can be accommodated in the server cabinet is calculated. Third, an airflow of an initial quantity of the fan of the selected type is calculated when the initial quantity of the fan of the selected type is determined to be less than the maximum quantity. Fourth, the initial quantity of the fan of the selected type and the related parameters of the fan of the selected type are output to a display if the calculated airflow is determined to be greater than or equal to a minimum required airflow of the server cabinet.

Abstract: There is provided a support method for a particle distribution analysis for a substrate. In the support method, histogram data of inter-particle distances are created for all particles on a target substrate subjected to the particle distribution analysis from particle coordinate data of the target substrate. Further, histogram data of inter-particle distances are created for multiple virtual substrates each having the same number of randomly distributed particles as the particles on the target substrate. Based on a difference between the histogram data of the target substrate and the histogram data of each of the virtual substrates, determination data are created by quantifying a distance between the histogram data of the target substrate and the histogram data of the multiple virtual substrates, and the determination data are displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of characterizing a small molecule organic material, e.g., a drug or a drug product. This method includes subjecting the solid small molecule organic material to x-ray total scattering analysis at a short wavelength, collecting data generated thereby, and mathematically transforming the data to provide a refined set of data.

Abstract: A method for soil analysis for determining optimal conditions for a soil area and reporting the same. The soil analysis of the present invention combines sound agronomic principles with a unique interpretation of the results to offer a thorough analysis of a property's soil based on the soil sample(s) taken from a particular property. The calculation formulas and variables are consistent for all analyses, with the formulas adjusted based on some specific qualities of the soil.

Abstract: The application discloses a device that determines how much material is dispensed from a container by measuring the angle at which the container is tilted. The device includes an accelerometer for measuring an angle by which the container is tilted, and an electronic component for transmitting data based on the angle measured by the accelerometer. In some embodiments, the accelerometer measures the angle by which the container is tilted at a multiple different times.

Abstract: A method to enable wafer result prediction includes collecting manufacturing data from various semiconductor manufacturing tools and metrology tools; choosing key parameters using an autokey method based on the manufacturing data; building a virtual metrology based on the key parameters; and predicting wafer results using the virtual metrology.

Abstract: A particle size distribution creating method includes a particle size range determining step, an integrating step of integrating the frequency of appearance of particles within the particle size range determined in the particle size range determining step, a division point determining step of determining particle sizes that provide division points, using the integral of the frequency of appearance obtained in the integrating step, and a typical point determining step of determining the minimum particle size, maximum particle size and the particle sizes of the division points as typical points.

Abstract: A sensor diagnostic apparatus for diagnosing a sensor includes a moving object counter, a reference value storage, and a comparator. The moving object counter counts, in accordance with identification data acquired by a plurality of sensors in a predefined time period, a local number of moving objects moving between a sensing area of a first sensor and a sensing area of a second sensor near the first sensor. The reference value storage stores a preset reference value for the first sensor and the second sensor. The comparator compares a value derived from the local number of moving objects counted by the moving object counter with the preset reference value stored in the reference value storage to determine the first sensor to be in trouble when a difference between the value derived from the local number of moving objects and the preset reference value exceeds a predefined threshold value.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a chamber for receiving a substrate therein, and a measurement part for measuring an air particle concentration in a processing space provided in the chamber. An air particle concentration in the processing space provided in the chamber is measured by the measurement part. The air particle concentration is correlated with the number of particles attached to a substrate received in the chamber. Accordingly, by conducting a particle test after the air particle concentration in the processing space is lowered to an air particle concentration corresponding to the number of particles existing on the substrate which can pass the particle test, the number of times the particle test should be conducted after maintenance of the heat treatment apparatus can be reduced.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention converts digital data that represents an analog input signal into a time-domain bitmap, and then compares a region of that time-domain bitmap to a density threshold. When the density value violates the density threshold, a trigger signal is generated that causes digital data to be stored into a memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-tuning flow cytometer that uses a mathematical model to perform sort decisions that is based upon the biological response of the particular types of cells that are being sorted. In one embodiment, statistical calculations of the likelihood of an event belonging to a certain population are used to make the sort decisions. Automated self-tuning processes are used to optimize the operating parameters of the flow cytometer to achieve a selected purity with higher yield at optimal sorting speeds. The fully automated processes minimize user input and allows the user to select a desired purity while maximizing yield.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a distribution of a population (4) distributed over a region of interest (2), the region (2) being divided into cells, the method comprising: measuring, at two different points in time, values of a measure of population intensity in each cell; for a cell, determining a vector of values, each value in the vector being a function of the intensity values measured in that cell and the population intensity values measured in a different cell; determining a matrix using the determined vector(s) and the population intensity values measured at one of the different points in time; and predicting, using the matrix and the value of the population intensity measured in a cell at either of the different points in time, a value for the measure of population intensity in that cell for a point in time different to the two different points in time.

Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling efficient transferring operations in a vacuum processing apparatus with a linear tool. In the apparatus, plural transferring robots are arranged in transferring mechanism units in which plural process chambers are connected with each other, and to-be-processed wafers are received and passed between plural transferring robots. As the transferring robots is far from the load lock, the number of transferring operations to the process chambers is set larger, the number of times of continuous transferring operations to the process chambers is set as small as possible, and an odd number of times of continuous transferring operations to buffer rooms is set, by a destination determination unit and operation control rules. Further, transferring operations are performed based on the destination determination unit and the operation control rules.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composite separation membrane structure for a gas sensor for real-time monitoring of degradation of insulating oil of a power transformer, a gas sensor apparatus including the same, and a method and an apparatus for measuring gas concentration using the same. It is possible to locally diagnose whether there is a fault in the power transformer and what kind of fault occurs where in the power transformer by quantitatively measuring the concentration of several gases dissolved in the insulating oil in real time. As a result, breakdown of the power transformer may be prevented and remaining service life of the insulating oil in the power transformer may be predicted.

Abstract: A computer readable non-transitory medium storing a design aiding program causes a computer to execute a process of determining worst-case corner candidates for each of a plurality of condition sets. The design aiding program causes the computer to execute a process of mapping the worst-case corner candidates that are within an allowable range. The design aiding program causes a computer to execute a process of determining the worst-case corner candidates that minimize the number of the worst-case corner candidates mapped to the condition sets by handling the worst-case corner candidates thus mapped as a single worst-case corner candidate to be worst-case corners.

Abstract: A maximum number of charges on aerosol particles which are measurement targets is decided as a natural number x equal to or larger than 2. First and second electrical mobility groups are derived based on x. The first group includes electrical mobility Zc(U) and electrical mobilities having voltage values equal to a voltage U multiplied by values from 2 to x respectively, and the second group includes electrical mobilities having respective voltage values equal to voltage U multiplied by irreducible fractions which are coprime to each other among values with regularity. A ratio of flow rate with which range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the first group do not interfere with one another and the range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the first group and range corresponding to the electrical mobilities included in the mobility group do not interfere with one another is calculated.

Abstract: In accordance with certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, exemplary visualization system, method, procedure and computer-accessible medium can be provided, which individually and/or collectively can be called, e.g., ImmunoRuler (IR). Certain exemplary embodiments of the exemplary IR in accordance with the present disclosure can be used for, e.g., comparing two groups of objects with specific and distinguished properties, such as a group of case subjects with a particular disease and a group of control subjects without that particular disease, and/or a group of subjects with a particular disease who are given a treatment and a group of subjects with the same disease but under another treatment or no treatment at all.

Abstract: A particle size distribution measuring system 1 sets a reference voltage in a DMA 300 to a voltage value U, and executes the classifying of aerosol particles based on electrical mobility, in an electric field to which the voltage value U is supplied. When a predetermined condition is not satisfied, an analyzing device 600 causes a sum of the voltage value for the previous classifying (previous value) and the voltage value U to be re-set in the DMA 300 and causes the classifying of the aerosol particles to be executed again. A particle measuring device 400 defines a first measurement result as a measurement result M1, and defines a result of the re-measurement as a new measurement result Mx every time the measurement is thereafter repeated.

Abstract: A method for analyzing performance of a sorting system is provided. The method includes recording downtime experienced by the sorting system, recording runtime experienced by the sorting system, and recording an optimal characterization of a product stream to be sorted by the sorting system. The optimal characterization includes at least an optimal weight of a first commodity of the product stream. An actual characterization of the product stream as sorted by the sorting system is recorded. The actual characterization includes at least an actual weight of the first commodity sorted from the product stream. The method further includes determining the performance of the sorting system based on at least two of the downtime, the runtime, the optimal characterization, and the actual characterization.

Abstract: A restroom monitoring system for monitoring attributes of fixtures within a restroom using sensors. Additional attributes are determined from the monitored attributes. Consumable usage levels are estimated based on predetermined consumption levels associated with usage states of the fixtures. The restroom monitoring system provides an indication of the need for replenishment of consumables based on the monitored attributes of the fixtures. In addition, restroom monitoring system may provide additional information regarding the restroom attributes to a service provider, a manager or a user.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes an elastic detector configured to detect an elastic wave by utilizing photoacoustic tomography and to convert the elastic wave into a detection signal, and a signal processor configured to calculate an absorption characteristic of a heterogeneous part included in a homogeneous part of a scattering medium based on ?a=2P(z)/(??(z)) where ?a is the absorption coefficient at distance z from the light source, P(z) is the pressure of the elastic wave at distance z, ? is a Grüneisen coefficient, and ?(z) is the light intensity at the position of the heterogeneous part, the signal processor obtaining the light intensity by approximating a signal component derived from the homogeneous part separated from a signal component derived from the heterogeneous part in the scattering medium by utilizing the detection signal output from the elastic wave detector.