Methods and apparatus are presented for measuring a photoluminescence (PL) response, preferably a spatially resolved image of a PL response, from an object exposed to solar irradiation. In certain embodiments signals from the object are measured in two or more different spectral bands selected such that one of the measured signals has a higher PL component relative to ambient reflectance compared to another measured signal, enabling the PL component to be enhanced by a suitable differencing procedure. In other embodiments a signal from an object is measured in a spectral band selected such that at least 20% of the measured signal comprises PL generated from the object by the solar irradiation. The methods and apparatus have particular application to outdoor inspection of photovoltaic modules without having to modulate the operating point of the modules.

A method assess the quality of varnished wood surfaces. The method includes the following steps: a) creating a brightness map of the surface, b) creating a curvature map of the surface, c) ascertaining a cross-correlation of brightness map and curvature map, and d) evaluating the result of the cross-correlation to ascertain the proportion of the irregularities of the surface to be attributed to varnish flaws.

The coordinate system fixing unit uses the displacement of an object under measurement between photographed images in chronological order to generate fixed-coordinate chronological images. The displacement calculation unit uses the fixed-coordinate chronological images to calculate a two-dimensional spatial distribution of the displacement of the surface of the object under measurement. The displacement difference calculation unit calculates a two-dimensional displacement difference distribution by removing an error component from the two-dimensional spatial distribution. The depth movement amount calculation unit calculates a depth movement amount from the two-dimensional displacement difference distribution. The displacement separation unit calculates in-plane displacement from the two-dimensional displacement difference distribution. The determination unit uses the in-plane displacement and/or the depth movement amount to determine whether there is an abnormality in the object under measurement.

A processor of the inspection support device acquires an image obtained by imaging a structure to be inspected and detects damage to the structure on the basis of the acquired image. In a case where two or more types of damage (cracking B and linear free lime C.sub.2) to the structure are detected, the processor determines whether or not two or more types of damage are detected from the same or adjacent positions. In a case where determination is made that the cracking B and the linear free lime C.sub.2 are detected from the same or adjacent positions when the processor outputs the damage detection result (a damage image, a damage diagram, and the like), the processor preferentially outputs a damage detection result of the linear free lime C.sub.2 in accordance with a priority of a damage type (FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B).

The present disclosure relates to a method for inspecting a container body adapted and configured to hold substrates, comprising the steps of directing light from a light source onto a reflector element positioned within an interior space of the container body, such that the light is reflected to illuminate at least one interior surface of the container body, wherein the light is reflected by the reflector element in a diffuse manner and generating at least one image of the at least one interior surface by means of at least one camera, and evaluating the state of the container body on the basis of the at least one image.

Systems and methods for determining a diagnosis of a screening system are disclosed. Such systems and methods include identifying defect results based on inline characterization tool data, identifying electrical test results based on electrical test data, generating one or more correlation metrics based on the defect results and the electrical test results, and determining at least one diagnosis of the screening system based on the one or more correlation metrics, the diagnosis corresponding to a performance of the screening system.

Systems and methods for laser stimulated lock-in thermography (LLT) crack detection are provided. The system includes a spatial light modulator and a controller. The spatial light modulator reflects a laser beam to focus the laser beam onto a sample for detection of a crack, hole or scratch. The controller is coupled to the spatial light modulator and controls operation of the spatial light modulator to switch focus of the laser beam onto the sample between a plurality of LLT focus configurations for detection of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample. The method includes using a first one of the plurality of LLT configurations for coarse scanning of the sample to detect a crack, hole or scratch on the sample and, when a crack, hole or scratch is detected on the sample, switching to a second one of the plurality of LLT configurations for fine scanning of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample to determine one or more parameters of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample.

A metrology system includes front and back vision components portions. The front vision components portion includes a light source, camera, variable focal length (VFL) lens, and objective lens defining an optical axis. The back vision components portion may include a reflective surface and a polarization altering component. A workpiece with apertures is located between the front and back vision components portions. For each aperture of the workpiece, the system adjusts a relative position between the front vision components portion and the workpiece to align its optical axis with each aperture such that light from the light source passes through the aperture and is reflected by the reflective surface of the back vision components portion. The system uses the VFL lens and camera to acquire an image stack including images of the aperture, and analyzes the image stack to determine a measurement related to a workpiece feature of the aperture.

Circuit board inspection by receiving a near infrared (NIR) image of at least a portion of a circuit board, analyzing the NIR image using a machine learning model, and detecting anomalous circuit board portions according to the analysis.

Techniques, systems, and articles are described for preparing electrical cables for connections to a power grid. In one example, a system includes a handheld cable preparation device configured to cut one or more layers of an electrical cable and a computing device configured to control the cable preparation device to cut the one or more layers of the electrical cable.