An information processing system includes an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a deposited material with electromagnetic waves, a detection unit configured to detect scattered waves or transmitted waves of the electromagnetic waves with which the deposited material has been irradiated by the irradiation unit, and a determination unit configured to determine a state of the deposited material from an image based on the scattered waves or the transmitted waves detected by the detection unit.

An illumination system includes a measurement stage on which a measurement target is located, a light-providing part having illumination sections providing multi-directional incident lights to the measurement target, a light-receiving part receiving single-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to the multi-directional incident lights, and a processing part that performs acquiring a first distribution of intensities the single-directional reflection lights with respect to the multi-directional incident lights, acquiring, from the first distribution, a second distribution of intensities of multi-directional reflections lights with respect to a single-directional incident light, and determining material of the measurement target based on parameters of the second distribution. A method of recognizing material using the illumination system and a computer readable non-transitory recording medium recording a program embodying the method are provided.

An illumination system for recognizing material includes a measurement stage, a light-providing part, a light-receiving part, and a processing part. The measurement stage is upwardly open and the measurement target is located on the measurement stage. The light-providing part includes a plurality of illumination sections providing incident lights to the measurement target, and provides multi-directional incident lights to the measurement target from multiple upper directions at which the measurement stage is open. The light-receiving part receives single-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to the multi-directional incident lights provided by the light-providing part. The processing part acquires a multi-directional intensity distribution of multi-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to a single-directional incident light from the single-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to the multi-directional incident lights, and determines material of the measurement target from the multi-directional intensity distribution of reflection lights. Thus, material of an object may be easily and accurately known at a low cost.

An attempt is made to suppress the processing load while securing real-time properties of the image processing to improve visual recognizability of a captured image whose visual recognizability has been reduced by the influence of fine particle components. An image processing apparatus including: an extraction unit configured to extract an atmospheric light component from a captured image including an influence of fine particles in the atmosphere; and a removal processing unit configured to generate an image from the captured image, in which the influence of fine particles has been removed, based on the extracted atmospheric light component, and the extraction unit performs the extraction based on data of the captured image and data of an exposure value at the time of photographing the captured image.

An optical sensor device which measures in a spatially resolving manner is disclosed. In order to devise such a sensor device with which a contacting measurement of the article to be measured can be carried out and which can be mass-produced, the sensor device is designed such that a transfer of the calibration onto individual sensor devices is possible with high accuracy. According to certain embodiments of the design of the sensor device and of the evaluation methods, interferences with the measurement of the amount of the target substance are minimized.

A device for detecting the presence of pollen in the air, including a measuring chamber isolated from external light, an arrangement configured to drive an air flow through the measuring chamber, and a light source emitting a light beam in a direction of propagation through the air flow, into the measuring chamber. The device includes at least four photosensitive sensors configured to measure the luminous flux diffused by the illuminated air flow, in four different directions, a clock, at least two meteorological sensors, and at least one computer capable of determining the nature of a pollen particle present in the air from the data measured by the photosensitive sensors, the clock and the meteorological sensors.

An attempt is made to suppress the processing load while securing real-time properties of the image processing to improve visual recognizability of a captured image whose visual recognizability has been reduced by the influence of fine particle components. An image processing apparatus including: an extraction unit configured to extract an atmospheric light component from a captured image including an influence of fine particles in the atmosphere; and a removal processing unit configured to generate an image from the captured image, in which the influence of fine particles has been removed, based on the extracted atmospheric light component, and the extraction unit performs the extraction based on data of the captured image and data of an exposure value at the time of photographing the captured image.

An illumination system for recognizing material includes a measurement stage, a light-providing part, a light-receiving part, and a processing part. The measurement stage is upwardly open and the measurement target is located on the measurement stage. The light-providing part includes a plurality of illumination sections providing incident lights to the measurement target, and provides multi-directional incident lights to the measurement target from multiple upper directions at which the measurement stage is open. The light-receiving part receives single-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to the multi-directional incident lights provided by the light-providing part. The processing part acquires a multi-directional intensity distribution of multi-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to a single-directional incident light from the single-directional reflection lights reflected by the measurement target according to the multi-directional incident lights, and determines material of the measurement target from the multi-directional intensity distribution of reflection lights. Thus, material of an object may be easily and accurately known at a low cost.

An optical sensor device which measures in a spatially resolving manner is disclosed. In order to devise such a sensor device with which a contacting measurement of the article to be measured can be carried out and which can be mass-produced, the sensor device is designed such that a transfer of the calibration onto individual sensor devices is possible with high accuracy. According to certain embodiments of the design of the sensor device and of the evaluation methods, interferences with the measurement of the amount of the target substance are minimized

A system and method for noise suppression using signal strength ratio metric modulated light are disclosed. The system may include a light source, a light sensor, and a control circuit. The control circuit may be to generate a signal strength ratio metric modulated signal at a modulation depth. The control circuit may also be to send the signal strength ratio metric modulated signal to the light source to cause the light source to emit a signal strength ratio metric modulated light beam. The control circuit may additionally be to receive a reflected light signal from the light sensor. The reflected light signal may include a signal indicative of a reflection of the signal strength ratio metric modulated light beam and a signal indicative of a noise light.