Techniques for performing an acoustic rheology measurement of a sample are provided. A first set of acoustic pulses is provided by a focused ultrasound transducer to induce surface oscillations of the sample. A second set of acoustic pulses is provided by a detection transducer to interrogate the sample and detect the echo pulses reflected by the sample surface as a function of time. The detection ultrasound transducer system converts the echo signals to an electrical signal associated with the detected echo pulses, and a processor determines a dynamic displacement of the interface of the sample as a function of time. The processor also determines the spectrum, resonant surface oscillation frequency, and damping coefficient. Viscoelastic properties of the material are determined from these measurements, with applications for the characterization of the blood clotting process, the identification of a blood clot, gelation process, tumor, or fibrosis based on the viscoelastic properties.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products, the surrogate including an open container of a liquid and a probe in the form of a toroidal conductivity sensor that measures electrical conductivity of the liquid; wherein the electrical conductivity of the liquid increases as smoke is absorbed by the liquid and simultaneously into the food products; and a control that receives a signal from the toroidal conductivity sensor and in response generates a signal and/or a display indicative of the electrical conductivity of the liquid that corresponds to a selected amount of smoke absorption by the food products exposed to the smoke.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products, the surrogate including an open container of a liquid and a probe in the form of a toroidal conductivity sensor that measures electrical conductivity of the liquid; wherein the electrical conductivity of the liquid increases as smoke is absorbed by the liquid and simultaneously into the food products; and a control that receives a signal from the toroidal conductivity sensor and in response generates a signal and/or a display indicative of the electrical conductivity of the liquid that corresponds to a selected amount of smoke absorption by the food products exposed to the smoke.

A terahertz scanner for detecting irregularities, such as chemical or structural variations, in a sample and methods of use thereof are described. The described terahertz scanner and algorithms allow for direct, high-sensitivity, high-throughput, and non-invasive detection of irregularities that range from chemical contaminant to material defects in a variety of substrates and settings.

There is provided a perishable goods monitoring system for monitoring the freshness or condition of a perishable product encapsulated within a package, the system comprising a sensor device, a wireless communication reader device and a processing module, said sensor device comprising a fibrous hydrophilic material based electrical sensor and a wireless communication tag chip coupled thereto and being configured to be incorporated in or on a said package, said wireless communication reader device being configured for wireless communication with said wireless communication tag by means of wireless communication technology when said reader device is within a predetermined distance of said tag, and said processing module being configured to receive sensor data from said sensor, via said reader device, correlate said sensor data against a stored calibration data set associated with said perishable product and determine thereby data representative of freshness of said perishable product.

There is provided a perishable goods monitoring system for monitoring the freshness or condition of a perishable product encapsulated within a package, the system comprising a sensor device, a wireless communication reader device and a processing module, said sensor device comprising a fibrous hydrophilic material based electrical sensor and a wireless communication tag chip coupled thereto and being configured to be incorporated in or on a said package, said wireless communication reader device being configured for wireless communication with said wireless communication tag by means of wireless communication technology when said reader device is within a predetermined distance of said tag, and said processing module being configured to receive sensor data from said sensor, via said reader device, correlate said sensor data against a stored calibration data set associated with said perishable product and determine thereby data representative of freshness of said perishable product.

The techniques described herein relate to computerized methods and apparatus for grouping images of objects based on semantic and visual information associated with the objects. The techniques described herein further relate to computerized methods and apparatus for training a machine learning model for object recognition.

A new chick production method and a new chick production system are obtained which are different from a conventional method in which all live eggs are collectively accommodated in a hatcher tray to develop chicks. The chick production method of the present invention divides mid-hatch eggs into a plurality of groups based on physical information measured for the mid-hatch eggs during a period from when the eggs are accommodated in a setter tray to when the eggs are transferred to a hatcher tray, and accommodates the mid-hatch eggs in the hatcher tray to develop chicks. In addition, a chick production system of the present invention includes a measurement unit, a sorting unit, and an accommodation unit, and the chicks are developed by each of a plurality of hatcher trays.

A method and apparatus for automatically measuring and storing a various measured values of an item, or a sequence of measured values of one or more item(s) suitable for single-handed use by a user. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile computing device with one or more sensors for determining when to measure and record a particular value of one or more items. The mobile computing device may automatically measure the values based on sensing a change in the temperature value or through using proximity as detected by one or more onboard sensors. Additionally, the mobile computing device may automatically measure the values based on coming within range of an external proximity device. In response to automatically measuring the values, the measured values are stored along with additional information for record keeping purposes.

A method and apparatus for automatically measuring and storing a various measured values of an item, or a sequence of measured values of one or more item(s) suitable for single-handed use by a user. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile computing device with one or more sensors for determining when to measure and record a particular value of one or more items. The mobile computing device may automatically measure the values based on sensing a change in the temperature value or through using proximity as detected by one or more onboard sensors. Additionally, the mobile computing device may automatically measure the values based on coming within range of an external proximity device. In response to automatically measuring the values, the measured values are stored along with additional information for record keeping purposes.