An observation apparatus includes: an area calculation unit that calculates a colony area based on an image in which a cell colony is captured; a cell number calculation unit that calculates, based on the image, the number of cells included in a target colony of which an area is calculated by the area calculation unit; and a density calculation unit that calculates, based on the area of the target colony calculated by the area calculation unit and the number of the cells included in the target colony calculated by the cell number calculation unit, a density of the cells included in the target colony.

A method of controlling a particle size distribution of a filler in an extrudable composition comprises introducing an extrudable composition comprising a polymer matrix material and a filler into an extruder, the filler having a first average particle size that is larger than a target average particle size. The extrudable composition is extruded one or more times using the extruder to reduce the size of the filler from the first average particle size to a reduced average particle size, the reduced average particle size being within 10% of the target average particle size.

A particle measurement system and method of operation thereof are described. The system and method render a characteristic for a set of particles measured while passing through a measurement volume. The system includes a source that generates a particle-laden field containing the set of particles. The system further includes a sensor that generates a raw particle data corresponding to the set particles passing through the measurement volume of the particle measurement system, where the raw particle data comprises a set of raw particle records and each of one of the raw particle records includes a particle data content. A preconditioning stage carries out a preconditioning operation on the particle data content of the set of raw particle records to render a conditioned input data. A machine learning stage processes the conditioned input data to render an output characteristic parameter value for the set of particles.

The present invention relates to a dust measurement device and method which can increase the accuracy of dust measurement by deriving a mass concentration on the basis of a number concentration distribution according to particle sizes. The dust measurement device of the present invention comprises: a charging unit for charging a feed material with electrical charges; a first dust collecting unit including a first and a second dust collecting electrode which are spaced apart from each other, through which the material passes, and to which different voltages are applied; a second dust collecting unit for collecting the material which has passed through the first dust collecting unit; a current measurement unit for measuring current flowing through the second dust collecting unit; and a control unit for calculating a mass concentration of the material by using the value of the current measured by the current measurement unit and adjusting voltages applied to the charging unit and the first dust collecting unit on the basis of the mass concentration.

A method of characterizing an aerosol, the method comprising illuminating aerosol particles located within a measurement volume with a first electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a first source and receiving one or more electromagnetic radiation returns that have been scattered by the aerosol particles illuminated by the first electromagnetic radiation pulse at one or more sensors, illuminating the aerosol particles within the measurement volume with a second electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a second source and receiving a one or more electromagnetic radiation returns scattered by the aerosol particles illuminated by the second electromagnetic radiation pulse at the one or more sensors, determine at least one of intensity based on the one or more electromagnetic radiation returns, and determine an aerosol parameter based on an algorithm and the at least one intensity.

A method of characterizing an aerosol, the method comprising illuminating aerosol particles located within a measurement volume with a first electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a first source and receiving one or more electromagnetic radiation returns that have been scattered by the aerosol particles illuminated by the first electromagnetic radiation pulse at one or more sensors, illuminating the aerosol particles within the measurement volume with a second electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a second source and receiving a one or more electromagnetic radiation returns scattered by the aerosol particles illuminated by the second electromagnetic radiation pulse at the one or more sensors, determine at least one of intensity based on the one or more electromagnetic radiation returns, and determine an aerosol parameter based on an algorithm and the at least one intensity.

Provided is an apparatus for measuring particulate matter, the apparatus including an air inflow device configured to receive air including particulate matter particles, two or more light sources configured to respectively emit light of different wavelengths to the air received, a pattern measuring device configured to measure scattering patterns for each wavelength of light based on detecting light that is forward-scattered by the particulate matter particles and light that is back-scattered by the particulate matter particles, and a processor configured to obtain a size of the particulate matter particles and a concentration of the particulate matter particles based on the scattering patterns for each wavelength of light.

A networked air quality monitoring system. Such a system could provide information beyond the user's local instrument on air quality over a much larger area. This information could be used by a user to make decisions about frequenting particular areas based on the results, or to alert them to changing conditions in the area so that the user might act before local conditions change.

A method of controlling a particle size distribution of a filler in an extrudable composition comprises introducing an extrudable composition comprising a polymer matrix material and a filler into an extruder, the filler having a first average particle size that is larger than a target average particle size. The extrudable composition is extruded one or more times using the extruder to reduce the size of the filler from the first average particle size to a reduced average particle size, the reduced average particle size being within 10% of the target average particle size.

An observation apparatus includes: an area calculation unit that calculates a colony area based on an image in which a cell colony is captured; a cell number calculation unit that calculates, based on the image, the number of cells included in a target colony of which an area is calculated by the area calculation unit; and a density calculation unit that calculates, based on the area of the target colony calculated by the area calculation unit and the number of the cells included in the target colony calculated by the cell number calculation unit, a density of the cells included in the target colony.