A system and method for the detection of one or more analytes in a collected sample employs capillary action in a sample card containing a sample substrate, at least one test capsule and an absorbent pad. The absorbent pad absorbs the contents of the test capsule and delivers the same to the sample substrate, with the contents of the test capsule chemically reacting with at least one detection reagent to establish an optical indicator for the analyte(s). The sample card can be automatically tested within a reader device, which records and processes an optical signal produced by the chemical reaction and outputs a test result. The collected sample can then be further analyzed using a second device. Additionally, an adhesive component can be provided so that a sample can be collected thereon. Furthermore, the at least one detection reagent can include a surfactant.

A method for measuring dustiness of a product. The method can include providing the product onto a ramp. The method further can include allowing gravity to move the product down the ramp through a dam. The dam can be configured to control a mass flow rate of the product moved down the ramp. The method additionally can include measuring, by a sensor, airborne particles to determine the dustiness of the product, wherein the airborne particles are generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface. Other embodiments are disclosed.

An evaluation method of suitable silica powder for forming a bubble-free layer of a vitreous silica crucible for pulling of a silicon single crystal, includes: a process of measuring a porosity between silica particles in the silica powder, a process of melting the silica powder, a process of measuring a bubble content rate of a vitreous silica block obtained by cooling to harden the melted silica powder, and a process of determining whether the silica powder is suitable from the porosity of the silica powder and the bubble content rate of the vitreous silica block.

An optical sensor is arranged in an indentation of a dust line, the indentation being equipped with at least one gas inlet nozzle for removing the dust from the optical sensor. Dust is transported through the dust line. An optical property of the dust is measured using at least one optical sensor arranged in an indentation of the dust line, and the dust is then removed from the optical sensor by blowing in air using the at least one gas inlet nozzle arranged in the indentation.

A method for characterization of metallic powder including presenting a metallic powder sample to a laser and detector system, wherein the metallic powder sample passes through the laser and detector system via a sample introducer; applying a pulsed laser beam to a first location in the metallic powder sample to provide a first micro-plasma at the first location in the metallic powder sample when the pulsed laser beam terminates, the micro-plasma cools to provide spectral emissions at the first location; collecting the spectral emissions at the first location in the metallic powder sample with a detector; analyzing the spectral emissions at the first location to provide a spectral analysis dataset; and identifying inclusions at the first location in the metallic powder sample.

An image analysis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a processor; and a memory storing program instructions that cause the processor to: determine a shape of a particle included in a particle image that is extracted from an image of an object, so that an OK particle image which is a particle image of an OK particle that satisfies a predetermined standard for shape and a provisional NG particle image which is a particle image of a provisional NG particle that does not satisfy the predetermined standard, are obtained; generate a pseudo image using a generative model; and determine whether the provisional NG image and the pseudo image are similar, wherein in a case where the provisional NG image and the pseudo image are determined to be similar, the provisional NG particle is determined as including an OK particle.

A method for determining at least one specific piece of information relating to a bulk material. A method for generating a data record including at least one piece of information relating to a bulk material, a method for obtaining a piece of information relating to a bulk material and a database, and devices and computer-implemented data structures are also provided.

A powder blend segregation testing apparatus and methods for segregation testing of powder blends, requiring a small sample size, are presented for determination of segregation potential of powder blends under stressed dynamic conditions, offering an invaluable tool to the formulation scientists in the pharmaceutical, food, personal care industries, and any other industry which uses powders, to be able to determine, at formulation development stage, which of their powder blend formulations would resist segregation under stressed dynamic conditions of subsequent commercial scale manufacturing operations, thus meeting the goal of Quality by Design approach for manufacturing.