A method and a system for density measurement of zooplankton in situ in an aqueous solution are provided. The method comprises acquiring at least one image of a volume of the aqueous solution; processing the at least one image and identifying particles in the at least one image; analyzing the identified particles based on a sharpness of each particle, and identifying zooplankton to be counted.

A method and a system for density measurement of zooplankton in situ in an aqueous solution are provided. The method comprises acquiring at least one image of a volume of the aqueous solution; processing the at least one image and identifying particles in the at least one image; analyzing the identified particles based on a sharpness of each particle, and identifying zooplankton to be counted.

A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A transport tube receives pills from the hopper. The transport tube has a controllable aperture for facilitating or inhibiting delivery of pills to the transport tube. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the transport tube, and the input aperture. Optionally, a feed chute can be operatively connected between the hopper and the transport tube. The system can self-calibrate the mechanism for counting and dispensing pills by dynamically adjusting the input aperture based upon the stored information representative of the pulse width signal and the amplitude signal.

A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A transport tube receives pills from the hopper. The transport tube has a controllable aperture for facilitating or inhibiting delivery of pills to the transport tube. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the transport tube, and the input aperture. Optionally, a feed chute can be operatively connected between the hopper and the transport tube. The system can self-calibrate the mechanism for counting and dispensing pills by dynamically adjusting the input aperture based upon the stored information representative of the pulse width signal and the amplitude signal.

An apparatus configured to count people in a target area includes a wireless transceiver and a controller. The wireless transceiver is configured to radiate an impulse electromagnetic wave to the target area and receive a reflection signal from the target area, and the controller is configured to obtain a signal strength of the reflection signal over a reception time period during which the reflection signal is received and count people according to the signal strength, considering that the signal strength is weakened in proportion to the reception time period.

An apparatus configured to count people in a target area includes a wireless transceiver and a controller. The wireless transceiver is configured to radiate an impulse electromagnetic wave to the target area and receive a reflection signal from the target area, and the controller is configured to obtain a signal strength of the reflection signal over a reception time period during which the reflection signal is received and count people according to the signal strength, considering that the signal strength is weakened in proportion to the reception time period.

A guidance processing apparatus (100) includes an information acquisition unit (101) that acquires a plurality of different pieces of guidance information on the basis of states of a plurality of people within one or more images, and a control unit (102) that performs control of a plurality of target devices present in different spaces or time division control of a target device so as to set a plurality of different states corresponding to the plurality of pieces of guidance information.

Disclosed are fibers which contains identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers, a fiber band, or yarn. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making and characterizing the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features and correlating the distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.

Disclosed are fibers which contains identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers, a fiber band, or yarn. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making and characterizing the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features and correlating the distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.

Systems and methods are provided for measuring articles contained within and/or dispensed from a receptacle. The present invention incorporates a counter device that measures the displacement of a conductive target relative to an LC circuit using an inductance-to-digital converter. In operation, a change in weight of articles in a receptacle will displace or deform a conductive target relative to the position of the LC circuit and, as such, it will create a measurable differential relating to inductance. Based on the measured differential, the number of articles (e.g., pills) within and/or taken from the receptacle is determined using a processor. In accordance with a further aspect, the counter is configured to compensate for a temperature-dependent variation in the measured electrical parameter algorithmically using the processor and/or through the particular configuration of the receptacle components.