Apparatus and associated methods relate to determining metrics of a cloud atmosphere using time difference measurements. A light projector projects a pulse of light into a cloud atmosphere, and a light sensor detects a portion of the projected pulse of light backscattered by the cloud atmosphere. A backscatter coefficient is calculated based on peak amplitude of the detected portion. An optical extinction coefficient is calculated based on a time difference between a peak time and a post-peak time, which correspond to times at which the peak amplitude of the detected portion occurs and at which the detected portion equals or crosses a sub-peak threshold, respectively. In some embodiments, a logarithm amplifier is used to facilitate processing of signals of widely varying amplitudes. In some embodiments, the sub-peak threshold is calculated as a fraction of the peak amplitude of the detected portion.

[Problem] When the inclination of an object surface reaches or exceeds a certain level, direct light consisting of a specularly reflected light component leaves the range of the solid observation angle formed by the observation optical system, and it becomes difficult to continuously and quantitatively obtain the surface shape of the object surface. [Solution] This invention emits emission light capable of, within an observation range for an object under inspection, simultaneously forming the same solid emission angle on each point on an object surface regardless of the distance from the illumination; for a non-continuous area where direct light is not returned, uses variation in the solid angle of direct light unique to the vicinity of the non-continuous area to make it possible to at least measure height-direction variation of the non-continuous area; and uses brightness information indicating variation in a scattered light component of object light from the non-continuous area to make it possible to continuously acquire the three-dimensional shape of the non-continuous area.

An object of the invention is to provide a defect inspection device capable of correcting image forming position deviation due to displacement of a sample surface in a Z direction while enabling image forming detection from a direction not orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of illumination. The detect inspection device according to the invention is configured to determine on which lens in a lens array scattered light is incident according to a detection elevation angle of the scattered light from a sample, and an image position of the scattered light having a small elevation angle is corrected more than an image position of the scattered light having a large elevation angle (see FIG. 19).

An apparatus and method for estimating bio-information are provided. The apparatus for estimating bio-information includes: a spectrometer configured to measure a spectrum from an object according to measurement conditions; and a processor configured to obtain signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values for each wavelength of the spectrum measured by the spectrometer, generate a plurality of simulated absorbance spectra based on the SNR values for each wavelength of the spectrum, and determine an optimal wavelength combination for use in measuring the bio-information based on the plurality of simulated absorbance spectra.

A damage detection system includes one or more emitters, one or more receivers, and a controller. Emitters are arranged to transmit continuous beam or intermittent light pulses toward rotor blades during operation of a turbomachine. Light returns collected at the receivers define a light return amplitude profile. The controller analyzes the light return amplitude profile to identify light amplitude changes indicative of one or more damaged blades. When the light return profile satisfies one or more damage criteria, the controller outputs an indication of blade damage to another turbomachine controller, system, or display.

An imaging apparatus includes: a reflector which covers an imaging space on a pathway that a human passes through, from at least one of both sides of the pathway, and diffusely reflects a sub-terahertz wave; a first light source which emits a sub-terahertz wave onto the reflector; and a first detector which receives a reflected wave of the sub-terahertz wave emitted from the first light source, diffusely reflected by the reflector, and reflected by the human, and generates an image based on the reflected wave received. The first light source and the first detector are located at a first direction side relative to a center of the imaging space in a direction in which the pathway extends.

An imaging apparatus includes: a diffuse-reflector which covers an imaging space on a pathway that a human passes through, from at least a side out of both sides of the pathway, and includes a reflector which diffusely reflects a sub-terahertz wave; a light source which emits a sub-terahertz wave onto the reflector; and a detector which receives a reflected wave of the sub-terahertz wave which has been emitted from the light source, diffusely reflected by the reflector, and reflected by the human, and detects an intensity of the reflected wave received. The diffuse-reflector includes a visible light transmissive area which transmits visible light.

A lateral flow test system having an optical reader, a lateral flow cartridge and a computer system is provided. The lateral flow cartridge includes a porous test strip with a reading window into the porous test strip exposing an exposed zone of the porous strip. The optical reader has a reader housing and a slot for inserting the cartridge into the reader housing. The optical reader has an illumination arrangement adapted for illuminating the exposed zone of the porous strip when the cartridge is inserted into the slot. The optical reader further has a video camera configured for acquiring a series of digital images comprising the exposed zone of the porous strip. The computer system receives sets of pixel data representing the plurality of consecutive digital images and calculates wetting progress along the length of the exposed zone of the porous strip based on the sets of pixels data.

Gloss of a surface having a concave-convex structure is measured, and R/V, which is a ratio of a diffuse specular reflection intensity R to a sum total V of diffuse reflection intensities (in formula, the diffuse specular reflection intensity R represents a diffuse reflection intensity measured at an aperture angle of 1 degree by a variable-angle photometer in a diffuse specular reflection direction when visible light is radiated, at an angle of 45 degrees from a normal line, to the surface having the concave-convex structure of the anti-glare film, and the sum total V of diffuse reflection intensities represents a sum total of diffuse reflection intensities measured at an aperture angle of 1 degree by a variable-angle photometer for every 1 degree from −45 degrees up to 45 degrees, including 0 degrees, with respect to the diffuse specular reflection direction when visible light is radiated, at an angle of 45 degrees from a normal line, to the surface having the concave-convex structure of the anti-glare film), is evaluated to manufacture an anti-glare film. The above-described method enables an anti-glare film having high anti-glare properties and high contrast to be manufactured at high productivity.

A method and device for examining rod-shaped products of the cigarette industry, having a cylindrical lateral surface and two end faces formed by two filter elements arranged at opposite ends, the product having smokable material between the two end faces, by: a) irradiating the lateral surface using examination light whereby the examination light penetrates through the lateral surface at least partially into the product and at least partially exits again through one end face, the beams of which are incident on the lateral surface at an angle of at least 30° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the product; b) acquiring the examination light exiting the end face of the product using an electro-optical receiver, the main viewing direction of which is directed onto the end face; and c) evaluating the brightness or light intensity of the examination light exiting the end face and acquired by the electro-optical receiver.