The present invention provides a particle enhanced agglutination immunoassay including the steps of: mixing a sample solution containing an analyte with a solution containing insoluble carrier particles carrying a binding partner or binding partners for the analyte to prepare a mixed solution; determining a variation (i) in intensity of light scattered from the mixed solution based on a difference in intensity of scattered light between first and second time points; determining a variation (ii) in absorbance of the mixed solution based on a difference in absorbance between third and fourth time points; and correlating the determined variation (i) in intensity of scattered light and the determined variation (ii) in absorbance with an amount of the analyte present in the sample using a calibration curve plotted based on the variation in intensity of scattered light and a calibration curve plotted based on the variation in absorbance. The present invention employs measurements of the intensity of scattered light and the absorbance in combination for a single assay, and thus provides a particle enhanced agglutination immunoassay which achieves higher sensitivity and a wider dynamic range than conventional assays.

The present invention provides a particle enhanced agglutination immunoassay including the steps of: mixing a sample solution containing an analyte with a solution containing insoluble carrier particles carrying a binding partner or binding partners for the analyte to prepare a mixed solution; determining a variation (i) in intensity of light scattered from the mixed solution based on a difference in intensity of scattered light between first and second time points; determining a variation (ii) in absorbance of the mixed solution based on a difference in absorbance between third and fourth time points; and correlating the determined variation (i) in intensity of scattered light and the determined variation (ii) in absorbance with an amount of the analyte present in the sample using a calibration curve plotted based on the variation in intensity of scattered light and a calibration curve plotted based on the variation in absorbance. The present invention employs measurements of the intensity of scattered light and the absorbance in combination for a single assay, and thus provides a particle enhanced agglutination immunoassay which achieves higher sensitivity and a wider dynamic range than conventional assays.

A photoelectric sensor includes: a placement table configured to allow a workpiece to be placed thereon; a light projecting device including a light emitting element configured to emit light and a converging element configured to converge the light emitted from the light emitting element toward a detection area; and a light receiving device configured to receive the light passing through the detection area from the converging element at a position located on a same plane as the placement table in a direction along an optical axis of the light. The optical axis of the light projected from the light projecting device is set such that the light is incident in a direction perpendicular to an incident surface of the light receiving device and focused on the incident surface of the light receiving device.

A photoelectric sensor includes: a placement table configured to allow a workpiece to be placed thereon; a light projecting device including a light emitting element configured to emit light and a converging element configured to converge the light emitted from the light emitting element toward a detection area; and a light receiving device configured to receive the light passing through the detection area from the converging element at a position located on a same plane as the placement table in a direction along an optical axis of the light. The optical axis of the light projected from the light projecting device is set such that the light is incident in a direction perpendicular to an incident surface of the light receiving device and focused on the incident surface of the light receiving device.

A method, comprising: providing a light source, a high contrast providing object, and an image acquisition device; emitting a light beam from the light source through the high contrast providing object, a transparent object and a surface of the transparent object toward the image acquisition device; exposing the surface of the transparent object to icing conditions such that a layer of ice is formed by ice accretion on the surface, wherein the light beam traverses the layer of ice after having traversed the transparent object; acquiring a series of images over time of the high contrast providing object using the image acquisition device; determining blur occurring in the series of images over the time; and quantifying the loss of visibility over the time through the transparent object on the basis of the determined blur.

A method, comprising: providing a light source, a high contrast providing object, and an image acquisition device; emitting a light beam from the light source through the high contrast providing object, a transparent object and a surface of the transparent object toward the image acquisition device; exposing the surface of the transparent object to icing conditions such that a layer of ice is formed by ice accretion on the surface, wherein the light beam traverses the layer of ice after having traversed the transparent object; acquiring a series of images over time of the high contrast providing object using the image acquisition device; determining blur occurring in the series of images over the time; and quantifying the loss of visibility over the time through the transparent object on the basis of the determined blur.

An object is to measure absorbance of aqueous cosmetic materials that have not heretofore been studied for absorbance measurement, and particularly to form a uniform layer of thin film in order to ensure accurate measurement without causing these aqueous cosmetic materials, which are O/W emulsions, to undergo phase separation during measurement. As a means for achieving the foregoing, an absorbance measurement method is provided, wherein an absorbent aqueous composition is applied on the surface of a substrate, which surface has been plasma treated, arc-discharge treated, or corona-discharge treated, to achieve a contact angle with pure water of 0 to 70.0 degrees, and the applied absorbent aqueous composition is measured for absorbance.

An object is to measure absorbance of aqueous cosmetic materials that have not heretofore been studied for absorbance measurement, and particularly to form a uniform layer of thin film in order to ensure accurate measurement without causing these aqueous cosmetic materials, which are O/W emulsions, to undergo phase separation during measurement. As a means for achieving the foregoing, an absorbance measurement method is provided, wherein an absorbent aqueous composition is applied on the surface of a substrate, which surface has been plasma treated, arc-discharge treated, or corona-discharge treated, to achieve a contact angle with pure water of 0 to 70.0 degrees, and the applied absorbent aqueous composition is measured for absorbance.

The invention is a flexible and configurable inspection system for the inspection of container units that combines and integrates a holding assembly for multiple containers integrating servo-controlled rotation of the units, transport and positioning of the containers that simulate human handling, and camera stations employing automated vision inspection. The system performs horizontal inspection for particulate and any other container defect that promotes particulate to better locate within the inspection area of the cameras. Inspection sequences and product recipes combine the typical manual inspection agitation with automated inspection rotational techniques to optimize detection. The system allows for semi-automatic operation with the operator at the front of the station feeding and out-feeding material manually or fully automated with conveyance system feeding and out-feeding material from the back of the station.

The invention is a flexible and configurable inspection system for the inspection of container units that combines and integrates a holding assembly for multiple containers integrating servo-controlled rotation of the units, transport and positioning of the containers that simulate human handling, and camera stations employing automated vision inspection. The system performs horizontal inspection for particulate and any other container defect that promotes particulate to better locate within the inspection area of the cameras. Inspection sequences and product recipes combine the typical manual inspection agitation with automated inspection rotational techniques to optimize detection. The system allows for semi-automatic operation with the operator at the front of the station feeding and out-feeding material manually or fully automated with conveyance system feeding and out-feeding material from the back of the station.