The invention consists of a continuous sorting method and device which highlights the trajectory differences to which fibers of different form factors and particles charged under the joint influence of electrical and gravitational forces could be subjected. Thus, according to the sorting method, the conditions exploit this difference in order to recover/collect the fibers separated from the non-fibrous particles present in the same initial aerosol or to sort fibers exhibiting different form factors.

A device for counting particles on a sample surface includes a scanner probe having a first opening for receiving particles from a sample surface and one or more second openings, a particle detector for detecting particles passed there-through, a modulator for modulating air flowing there-through, a pump for producing a first airstream flowing from the first opening and through the particle detector, and for producing a second airstream flowing through the modulator and to the one or more second openings, and control circuitry for controlling the modulator to modulate an amplitude of the second airstream.

An improved sample conveyer for articulating a sample across the flat platen of a spectrum analyzer relative to a scan window in the platen. The conveyor includes a sample truck configured for movement across the surface of the platen, the sample truck having a scan aperture. A spur gear is rotatably mounted about the aperture, and a drive gear is engaged to the spur gear. The drive gear has a plurality of magnets embedded therein, and a second plurality of magnets is affixed to the sample truck. A translation mechanism resides beneath the platen which includes a sled mounted on parallel rails for linear translation there along, and a motor mounted on the sled. Magnets on both the sled and drive gear index and engage corresponding magnets on the sample truck to implement complex orbital, hypotrochoid or epitrochoid scan patterns for more accurate particulate analysis.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for washing and concentrating microparticles encapsulated in microscale droplets using an acoustic radiation force. The apparatus includes: a piezoelectric substrate; a slanted finger interdigital transducer (SIDT) electrode deposited on the piezoelectric substrate and configured to generate surface acoustic waves under an AC signal applied thereto; and a microfluidic chip which is adhered to the piezoelectric substrate with being spaced apart from the SIDT electrode, has a microscale channel section formed therein, in which a single continuous phase and a plurality of dispersed phases are injected, respectively, and includes a plurality of inlet ports into which continuous and dispersed phases are injected, and a discharge port from which a plurality of droplets composed of the continuous and dispersed phases and generated by the intersection thereof are discharged.

A gas detecting device is disclosed and comprises a main body, a suspended particle sensing module and a gas sensing module, wherein the main body includes a first sensing area and a second sensing area. A suspended particle sensing module disposed within the first sensing area includes an irradiating mechanism, a first gas transporting actuator, a laser device and a light sensing device. The first gas transporting actuator transmits air to the first sensing area, the suspended particles in the air is irradiated by the laser beam emitted from the laser device to generate scattered light spots for the light sensing device to detect the suspended particles. The gas sensing module disposed within the second sensing area includes a gas sensor and a second gas transporting actuator. The second gas transporting actuator transmits air to the second sensing area, and the gas sensing device detects a gas composition contained in the air.

An automated method for operating an automated seed sampling system having a seed loading station, a seed transport subsystem, and a seed sampling station generally includes sensing whether individual seeds are successfully isolated from a bulk of seeds at the seed loading station, and sensing whether the isolated seeds are properly positioned by the seed transport subsystem adjacent the seed sampling station in preparation for removing tissue from the isolated seeds. In some aspects, the method further includes analyzing the tissue removed from the seeds for presence or absence of at least one characteristic, and selecting seeds based on presence or absence of the at least one characteristic.

An automated method for analyzing seeds generally includes collecting image data from individual seeds using a seed sampling system, determining at least one characteristic of each of the individual seeds based on the collected image data, and removing tissue from each of the individual seeds using the seed sampling system. The method also includes, prior to removing the tissue sample from each of the individual seeds, adjusting at least one operational parameter of the seed sampling system based on the at least one characteristic of the seed from which the tissue is to be removed to thereby allow for generally consistent removal of tissue from each of the individual seeds. In some aspects, the method further includes analyzing the tissue removed from the seeds for presence or absence of at least one characteristic, and selecting seeds based on presence or absence of the at least one characteristic.

A distribution unit of a particle detection system initiates a particle collection process to dislodge one or more surface particles from a surface of an article based on a stream including at least one of solid CO.sub.2 particles or CO.sub.2 droplets. The dislodged surface particles are collected on a surface of a substrate having a pre-determined initial state including initial surface particles of the substrate. A measurement indicating a particle number concentration of detectable surface particles on the substrate after the particle collection process is completed is obtained. An initial particle number concentration of the initial surface particles of the pre-determined initial state is identified. A number of particles transported away from the surface of the article is determined based on the obtained measurement and the identified initial particle concentration.

Disclosed is an integrated biocontainment cell sorter that isolates portions of the cell sorter that can create contamination. Two containment systems are utilized. A main cabinet containment system contains input samples. An aerosol management containment area includes a nozzle chamber with a nozzle and a sort chamber with sort plates and collection media that collect a droplet stream from the nozzle. The main cabinet is maintained at a first low pressure and clean air is recirculated under a positive pressure. The aerosol management containment area is kept at a second low pressure, which is lower than the first pressure, so that contamination does not leak from the aerosol management containment area into the main cabinet containment area. A sliding sash window is located over an access opening in the main cabinet and can be moved to access different portions of the main cabinet without changing the substantially constant first low pressure in the main cabinet.

The present disclosure provides a particle sorting apparatus, a particle sorting method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program that enable sorting object particles to be sorted with high precision, even when the sorting object particles are large. In the particle sorting apparatus, a charging unit that applies charges to at least a part of liquid droplets ejected from an orifice to generate a fluid stream and a charging control unit that adjusts a charge application end time in the charging unit according to sizes of particles included in the liquid droplets are provided.