The present invention discloses a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) apparatus for real-time detecting of one or more fluorescent signals. According to the apparatus, the PCR is performed by controlling heating and cooling intervals of a reagent container receiving space. With the aid of an added specific probe and fluorescent material, as well as a light source and a spectrometer, a generated fluorescent signal is detected. Meanwhile, the apparatus is also pre-loaded with an algorithm configured to analyze and quantify the fluorescent signal in a real-time manner.

Provided are a controller for a thermal analysis apparatus, with which thermal characteristics of a measurement target can be grasped, and a thermal analysis apparatus. A controller (51) for a thermal analysis apparatus, which is configured to measure thermal behavior accompanying a temperature change caused by one of heating and cooling of a measurement target (X, Y), is configured to: acquire an intensity of a response signal of the measurement target to an electromagnetic wave with which the measurement target is irradiated with respect to a variable of one of a time and a temperature; differentiate the intensity with respect to the variable; and output a derivative value obtained as a result of the differentiation with respect to one of the temperature and the time, or display the derivative value with respect to one of the temperature and the time on a predetermined display (53).

Provided are a controller for a thermal analysis apparatus, with which thermal characteristics of a measurement target can be grasped, and a thermal analysis apparatus. A controller (51) for a thermal analysis apparatus, which is configured to measure thermal behavior accompanying a temperature change caused by one of heating and cooling of a measurement target (X, Y), is configured to: acquire an intensity of a response signal of the measurement target to an electromagnetic wave with which the measurement target is irradiated with respect to a variable of one of a time and a temperature; differentiate the intensity with respect to the variable; and output a derivative value obtained as a result of the differentiation with respect to one of the temperature and the time, or display the derivative value with respect to one of the temperature and the time on a predetermined display (53).

A method for segmenting the surface of a tire including at least one groove, includes: irradiating a portion of the surface of the tire by means of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the visible spectrum; acquiring an image of the irradiated portion of the surface; and processing the image so as to segment it into regions corresponding to regions of the tire which do or do not belong to the at least one groove. Additionally, processing the image so as to segment it includes: calculating a statistical quantity associated with the irradiation by electromagnetic radiation for each region of the image; and determining whether the region of the image does or does not belong to the at least one groove according to the value of the statistical quantity. Equipment for segmenting a surface of a tire including at least one groove.

There may be provided an evaluation system that may include spatial sensors that include atomic force microscopes (AFMs) and a solid immersion lens. The AFMs are arranged to generate spatial relationship information that is indicative of a spatial relationship between the solid immersion lens and a substrate. The controller is arranged to receive the spatial relationship information and to send correction signals to the at least one location correction element for introducing a desired spatial relationship between the solid immersion lens and the substrate.

A blood component is accurately analyzed by appropriately extracting a blood-vessel transmitted light component. In a blood component analyzing apparatus, a sensor section has a light-emitting section that irradiates light from a predetermined irradiation position situated over a blood vessel and a light-receiving section including a first photodetector that receives light at a first light-receiving position that is different from the irradiation position and is situated over the blood vessel and a second photodetector that receives light at a second light-receiving position that is not situated over the blood vessel. A spectrum synthesizing section synthesizes a first light-reception result at the first light-receiving position and a second light-reception result at the second light-receiving position by performing a predetermined synthesis process based on a positional relationship among the irradiation position, first light-receiving position, and second light-receiving position. A blood component analyzing section analyzes a blood component using the synthesis result.

A blood component is accurately analyzed by appropriately extracting a blood-vessel transmitted light component. In a blood component analyzing apparatus, a sensor section has a light-emitting section that irradiates light from a predetermined irradiation position situated over a blood vessel and a light-receiving section including a first photodetector that receives light at a first light-receiving position that is different from the irradiation position and is situated over the blood vessel and a second photodetector that receives light at a second light-receiving position that is not situated over the blood vessel. A spectrum synthesizing section synthesizes a first light-reception result at the first light-receiving position and a second light-reception result at the second light-receiving position by performing a predetermined synthesis process based on a positional relationship among the irradiation position, first light-receiving position, and second light-receiving position. A blood component analyzing section analyzes a blood component using the synthesis result.

A laser ablation tomography system includes a specimen stage for supporting a specimen. A specimen axis is defined such that a specimen disposed generally on the axis may be imaged. A laser system is operable to produce a laser sheet in a plane intersecting the specimen axis and generally perpendicular thereto. An imaging system is operable to image the area where the laser sheet intersects the specimen axis.

An apparatus and method for measuring hydrogen peroxide concentration in water to an accuracy of 0.1 ppm comprises a colorimetric assay method to determine hydrogen peroxide concentration. The assay is monitored spectophotometrically at a desired wavelength. Each sample is corrected relative to a control sample and hydrogen peroxide concentration determined with respect to a standard curve.

The operational state of a surface inspection system for detecting defects on the surface of semiconductor wafers is monitored by: providing a reference wafer having defects of a particular number, size, and density on an examination surface; conducting a reference inspection of the reference wafer and at least one control inspection of the reference wafer by the surface inspection system, the position and size of defects on the examination surface being measured; identifying defects which, because of their position, are regarded as common defects of the reference inspection and of the control inspection; for each common defect, determining a size difference obtained from comparing its size from the reference inspection and from the control inspection; and assessing the operational state of the surface inspection system on the basis of the size differences.