An atomization unit has a tube-shaped furnace, and heats and atomizes a sample injected into the furnace. A light source unit emits light having a wavelength to be measured toward the atomization unit such that light passes through the furnace. An optical system transmits the light having the wavelength to be measured, of light passing through the furnace. A detection unit detects the light transmitted by the optical system. A light transmission plate is provided at a position in an optical path of the light passing through the furnace toward the detection unit, to obliquely cross an optical axis of the light. An image capturing unit is arranged outside the optical path, and captures an image inside the furnace by receiving light reflected by the light transmission plate, of the light passing through the furnace.

A measurement system is provided for predicting a future status of a refractory lining that is lined over an inner surface of an outer wall of a metallurgical vessel and exposed to a heat during which the refractory lining is exposed to molten metal. The system includes one or more laser scanners and a processor. The laser scanners are configured to conduct a plurality of laser scans of the refractory lining when the metallurgical vessel is empty. At least one of the laser scanners is configured to laser scan the refractory lining prior to the heat to collect data related to pre-heat structural conditions of the refractory lining. At least one of the laser scanners is configured to laser scan the refractory lining after the heat to collect data related to post-heat structural conditions of the refractory lining. The processor is configured to predict the future status of the lining.

A slag volume evaluation method for a molten metal surface includes calculating an approximation curve indicating a correspondence between a thickness of slag and a density parameter in advance by measuring thicknesses of a plurality of pieces of the slag which float on a surface of a molten metal in a container and differ from each other in thickness, and calculating a value of the density parameter which is correlated to a density in a pixel region corresponding to the plurality of pieces of the slag in a captured image of a molten metal surface in the container; and calculating a volume of the slag by calculating and integrating the thickness of the slag for each of pixels constituting the captured image obtained by capturing an image of the molten metal surface which is an evaluation target, according to a value of the density parameter of each of the pixels and the approximation curve.

A method of cooking a food item in a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber and a user interface with a selector that allows a user to set a target degree of browning includes imaging, by an imaging device for capturing a real-time image, the food item inside the cooking chamber. A computing device in communication with the imaging device, and having a software module that receives the captured image, receives the captured real-time image from the imaging device.

A method of cooking a food item in a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber and a user interface with a selector that allows a user to set a target degree of browning includes imaging, by an imaging device for capturing a real-time image, the food item inside the cooking chamber. A computing device in communication with the imaging device, and having a software module that receives the captured image, receives the captured real-time image from the imaging device.

Oven comprising: a muffle; operating means for heating an active zone defined within the volume delimited by said muffle; a camera for detecting one or more images showing food positioned in said active zone; a transmission unit associated with said camera and configured for sending said one or more images to an auxiliary device configured for at least displaying said one or more images.

Oven comprising: a muffle; operating means for heating an active zone defined within the volume delimited by said muffle; a camera for detecting one or more images showing food positioned in said active zone; a transmission unit associated with said camera and configured for sending said one or more images to an auxiliary device configured for at least displaying said one or more images.

An oven including a camera disposed above a cooking compartment to clearly capture an inside of the cooking compartment, and having a structure which cools the camera to prevent a temperature of the camera from being increased due to heat generated in the cooking compartment. The oven includes the camera provided above the cooking compartment and configured to capture the inside of the cooking compartment, a camera cooling fan disposed above the camera and configured to cool the camera by suctioning external air, a first glass provided at a ceiling of the cooking compartment so that the camera captures the inside of the cooking compartment and configured to block transmission of heat in the cooking compartment to the camera, and a second glass provided between the camera and the first glass and configured to block transmission of heat to the camera.

An oven including a camera disposed above a cooking compartment to clearly capture an inside of the cooking compartment, and having a structure which cools the camera to prevent a temperature of the camera from being increased due to heat generated in the cooking compartment. The oven includes the camera provided above the cooking compartment and configured to capture the inside of the cooking compartment, a camera cooling fan disposed above the camera and configured to cool the camera by suctioning external air, a first glass provided at a ceiling of the cooking compartment so that the camera captures the inside of the cooking compartment and configured to block transmission of heat in the cooking compartment to the camera, and a second glass provided between the camera and the first glass and configured to block transmission of heat to the camera.

An improved lime mud recycling system including a camera proximate the kiln outlet imaging the granular lime and providing outlet images of the granular lime exiting the kiln, a processor analyzing the outlet images of the granular lime and providing pebble size distributions for the granular lime exiting the kiln, as well as a controller communicating with the processor comparing the pebble size distribution of the granular lime exiting the kiln with predetermined prescribed operating parameters for pebble size distributions for the granular lime exiting the kiln and issuing (I) a notification and/or (II) a control signal prompting remedial action when the pebble size distributions for the granular lime exiting the kiln are outside of the predetermined prescribed operating parameters.