A sample container of a thermal analyzer that performs thermogravimetry or calorimetry includes a bottomed cylindrical body portion and a cover portion abutting against an opening of the body portion and covering at least a part of the opening. The cover portion includes a first cover portion abutting against an edge portion of the opening and having a second opening in a part of the first cover portion, and a second cover portion separated from the first cover portion in an axial direction of the body portion so as to cover at least a part of the second opening.

An inspection device for inspecting containers (100) comprises a rotary conveyor (2), provided with a plurality of receiving cavities (5), and a measuring station (400) configured to inspect each container (100) while the container (100) is being supported and moved by the conveyor (2), wherein the conveyor (2) has continuous motion and the measuring station (400) comprises a microwave detector provided with a measuring zone (410) through which each container (100) passes in order to generate an information item relating to at least one of the following: weight of the container (100) as a whole or of the dose of product contained therein, type of product inside the container (100), presence of foreign bodies in the container (100).

A differential measurement circuit (1) is implemented in a balance with electromagnetic force compensation. The circuit receives input from two photo currents (I.sub.1, I.sub.2) generated by photodiodes (D1, D2) and generates an output signal proportional to their difference. A switch (SW) controls the flow of current through a node (K.sub.Δ) to which the two photo currents are directed, by flipping between two states (z.sub.t1, z.sub.t2) within two phases (t.sub.1, t.sub.2) of a time period T. The switch is controlled so a reference current (I.sub.Ref) from a voltage or current source (U.sub.Ref) is superimposed alternatingly within the time phases on one of the two photo currents which continuously flow into the node. The node lies at the input of an integrator (INT) whose integrator signal (s.sub.INT) can be compared in a comparator (CMP) to a cyclically recurring ramp signal (s.sub.RAMP) which conforms to the time period. At the output of the comparator, a rectangular-shaped comparator signal (s.sub.PWM) can be generated whose duty cycle ratio is defined by the intersection of the integrator signal with the ramp signal and which can be directed to a control input of the switch.

A differential measurement circuit (1) is implemented in a balance with electromagnetic force compensation. The circuit receives input from two photo currents (I.sub.1, I.sub.2) generated by photodiodes (D1, D2) and generates an output signal proportional to their difference. A switch (SW) controls the flow of current through a node (K.sub.Δ) to which the two photo currents are directed, by flipping between two states (z.sub.t1, z.sub.t2) within two phases (t.sub.1, t.sub.2) of a time period T. The switch is controlled so a reference current (I.sub.Ref) from a voltage or current source (U.sub.Ref) is superimposed alternatingly within the time phases on one of the two photo currents which continuously flow into the node. The node lies at the input of an integrator (INT) whose integrator signal (s.sub.INT) can be compared in a comparator (CMP) to a cyclically recurring ramp signal (s.sub.RAMP) which conforms to the time period. At the output of the comparator, a rectangular-shaped comparator signal (s.sub.PWM) can be generated whose duty cycle ratio is defined by the intersection of the integrator signal with the ramp signal and which can be directed to a control input of the switch.

A combined weighing system 1 includes a first X-ray inspection device 20, a combined weighing device 40, a bag making and packaging device 50, a weight inspection device 60, a second X-ray inspection device 70, and a management device 90 that manages each device. The management device 90 revises a weight conversion table of the first X-ray inspection device 20 and a correction value of the combined weighing device 40 based on an average value of weights of products B, which is calculated from a result of inspection over a certain time period in the weight inspection device 60.

A combined weighing system 1 includes a first X-ray inspection device 20, a combined weighing device 40, a bag making and packaging device 50, a weight inspection device 60, a second X-ray inspection device 70, and a management device 90 that manages each device. The management device 90 revises a weight conversion table of the first X-ray inspection device 20 and a correction value of the combined weighing device 40 based on an average value of weights of products B, which is calculated from a result of inspection over a certain time period in the weight inspection device 60.

A method of estimating one or more mass characteristics of a payload manipulated by a robot includes moving the payload using the robot, determining one or more accelerations of the payload while the payload is in motion, sensing, using one or more sensors of the robot, a wrench applied to the payload while the payload is in motion, and estimating the one or more mass characteristics of the payload based, at least in part, on the determined accelerations and the sensed wrench.

A method of estimating one or more mass characteristics of a payload manipulated by a robot includes moving the payload using the robot, determining one or more accelerations of the payload while the payload is in motion, sensing, using one or more sensors of the robot, a wrench applied to the payload while the payload is in motion, and estimating the one or more mass characteristics of the payload based, at least in part, on the determined accelerations and the sensed wrench.

A method of optical and microwave synergistic retrieval of aboveground biomass, the method including: 1) obtaining an observation value of aboveground biomass (AGB) of a sample plot; 2) pre-processing laser radar (LiDAR) data, optical remote sensing data and microwave remote sensing data covering a research region, to yield crown height model (CHM) data, surface reflectance data and a backscattering coefficient, respectively; 3) extracting different LiDAR variables, extracting a plurality of optical characteristic vegetation indexes, and extracting a plurality of microwave characteristic variables; 4) establishing a multiple stepwise linear regression model of the biomass; 5) taking the biomass value of the LiDAR data coverage region as a training set and a verification sample set, and selecting samples for modeling and verification; 6) screening out the optical and microwave characteristic variables; and 7) constructing an optical model, a microwave model, and an optical and microwave synergistic model of AGB retrieval, respectively.

A system comprises a faceted structure imaging assembly and a faceted structure image analyzer. The system is configured to determine carat weight of a gemstone while in a mounted setting. In a first mode, the imaging assembly obtains a first image of a top gemstone surface. The image analyzer uses the first image to obtain at least one gemstone dimension, such as table and diameter dimensions. In a second mode, the imaging assembly obtains a second image of the top gemstone surface while a colored light pattern is reflected onto the gemstone. The image analyzer uses the second image to obtain at least one other gemstone dimension, such as crown and pavilion angles. The image analyzer uses the dimensions obtained from the first and second images to determine weight information of the gemstone. The system quickly determines gemstone weight reliably and consistently without skilled gemologists or removal from the setting.