Abstract:
This invention concerns a railroad track inspection system having a common support structure to which is attached a plurality of track scanning sensors, a data store for storing track scan data recorded by the track scanning sensors, and a scan data processor for automatic analysis of said track scan data upon receipt thereof to detect one or more track components within the scan data. Components are detected from a predetermined list of component types according to one or more features identified in said scan data. The track scanning sensors, the data store and scan data processor are attached to the common support structure so the system can be mounted as a singular assembly to the exterior of railway vehicle for use. The inspection system may be provided in a single housing for mounting to a conventional passenger/freight rail vehicles and may operate automatically in an unattended mode to record and process the data and report on track status to allow manual inspection, repair and/or maintenance of the track. The location of track components and/or defects may be logged. The system may comprise a lateral actuation system for moving the track scanning sensors according to the relative track position.
Abstract:
A welded state monitoring system according to an aspect of the present invention is a welded state monitoring system used for plasma shielded electric resistance welding in which electric resistance welding is performed while irradiating a weld zone of a steel sheet with plasma, and is provided with a plasma irradiation device which irradiates the weld zone with plasma, a first image capturing device which captures an image of the weld zone from above and has an image sensor capable of detecting light having a wavelength of 850 nm or more, a first wavelength region limiting device which limits light incident on the first image capturing device to a wavelength region of 850 nm or more, and an image processing device which subjects the image captured by the first image capturing device to image processing and analyzes the welded state of the weld zone thereby being able to analyze the welded state without being affected by the plasma.
Abstract:
In order to determine the location (X M ) of individual molecules of a substance in a sample, wherein the individual molecules of the substance are in a fluorescent state in which they are excitable with excitation light for emission of fluorescent light, and wherein distances between the individual molecules of the substance in a region of interest in the sample comply with a minimum value d = λ/(2nsinα √(1 + l/ls)), the individual molecules of the substance are excited with the excitation light for emission of fluorescent light, wherein an intensity distribution of the excitation light has at least one zero. The fluorescent light from the excited individual molecules of the substance is registered for different positions (X N ) of the at least one zero of the intensity distribution of the excitation light in the region of interest in the sample. In this case, distances between closest adjacent positions (X N ) of the at least one zero of the intensity distribution of the excitation light in which the fluorescent light from the excited individual molecules of the substance is registered are not greater than half the minimum value d. The locations (X M ) of the individual molecules of the substance are then derived from the profile of the intensity (I) of the fluorescent light from the respective molecule against the positions (X N ) of the at least one zero of the intensity distribution of the excitation light in the region of interest in the sample.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a method for improving the precision of a test result from an instrument with an optical system that detects a signal. The method comprises including in the instrument a normalization target disposed directly or indirectly in the optical path of the optical system. Also disclosed are instruments comprising a normalization target, and systems comprising such an instrument and a test device that receives a sample suspected of containing an analyte.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for optical detection of residual soil on articles (such as medical instruments and equipment), after completion of a washing or a rinsing operation by a washer. A soil detection system provides an indication of soil on the articles by detecting luminescent radiation emanating from the soil in the presence of ambient light.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for optimizing inspection high-speed optical inspection of parts using intelligent image analysis to determine optimal focus using high numerical aperture (NA) optics, achieve a superior signal-to-noise ratio, resolution, and inspection speed performance with very limited depth of field lenses.
Abstract:
An inspection apparatus 100 is an apparatus for inspecting a solar cell panel 90. The inspection apparatus 100 includes: an excitation light irradiation part 12 for irradiating the solar cell panel 90 with pulsed light LP11 for causing the solar cell panel 90 to radiate an electromagnetic wave pulse LT1; a detection part 13 for detecting the electromagnetic wave pulse LT1 radiated from the solar cell panel 90 in response to irradiation with the pulsed light LP11; and a temperature changing part 31 for changing a temperature of the solar cell panel 90 at a part irradiated with the pulsed light LP11.
Abstract:
Even when the distance from an objective lens to a sample differs, the distribution of light from the sample can be detected accurately. A first lens 23 for converting light from the objective lens into parallel light is composed of a concave lens part 32 having a concave curved face 32c in a center portion of a flat face 32a, and a convex lens part 33 having a convex curved face 33c around a flat face 33b. Further, the first lens 23 includes first and second regions for diverging light through the flat face 33b and the concave curved face 32c and a third region for collecting light through the convex curved face 33c and the concave curved face 32c. When the sample is placed on a sample table while being sealed in a two-dimensional electrophoresis substrate, light totally reflected by a side surface of the objective lens is caused to enter the second region. In contrast, when the sample is directly placed on the sample table, the light is caused to enter the third region. As a result, in any of the cases, the rays of light d emitted from the first lens 23 are nearly parallel to one another, and are nearly parallel to the optical axis.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus of analyzing a body, wherein a first radiation (X rays) transmitted through the body and a second radiation (visible, IR and/or ultraviolet radiation) reflected by the body surface are detected at each point of a series of investigated points. The data collected for each scanning point are processed so as to maintain the correspondence between the images obtained using the different techniques.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a colour assessment apparatus comprising a sample carrier, magnifying optics to capture light from defined locations of a sample located on the sample carrier, means for analyzing the light captured by the magnifying optics to measuring colour values of the defined locations of the sample, means for automatically displacing the optical means relative to the sample carrier in order to the apparatus to scan a succession of locations of the sample and to measure colour values of the sample for each location, memory means for storing a table of location information correlated with colour value information, means for inputting a colour value of a reference sample, and means for analyzing the table so as to determine locations of any colour values from the sample that match the colour value of the reference sample.