G01N2201/0216

Remote sensing and measurement system using time-of-flight detectors
11596311 · 2023-03-07 · ·

A measurement system is provided with an array of laser diodes with one or more Bragg reflectors. At least a portion of the light generated by the array is configured to penetrate tissue comprising skin. A detection system configured to: measure a phase shift, and a time-of-flight, of at least a portion of the light from the array of laser diodes reflected from the tissue relative to the portion of the light generated by the array; generate one or more images of the tissue; detect oxy- or deoxy-hemoglobin in the tissue; non-invasively measure blood in blood vessels within or below a dermis layer within the skin; measure one or more physiological parameters based at least in part on the non-invasively measured blood; and measure a variation in the blood or physiological parameter over a period of time.

Retro-reflectometer for measuring retro-reflectivity of objects in an outdoor environment comprising a lock-in amplifier coupled to an optical modulator and an optical detector
11474037 · 2022-10-18 · ·

An apparatus for measuring retro-reflectivity of a target object in an outdoor environment includes a modulator to modulate a first optical signal based on a specified modulation value, an optical emitter, coupled to the modulator, to emit the first optical signal along an optical path towards the target object, and an optical detector positioned collinearly with respect to the optical emitter. The optical detector detects a second optical signal that is retro-reflected from the target object. The apparatus includes a lock-in amplifier coupled to the modulator and the optical detector. The lock-in amplifier receives a first electrical signal from the modulator and a second electrical signal from the optical detector, and generates, based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, a third electrical signal indicative of the retro-reflectivity of the target object.

Mobile systems for monitoring emissions
11474090 · 2022-10-18 · ·

The present disclosure refers to a system for monitoring emissions. The system comprises an appliance with a mobile emission monitoring platform configured to identify and quantify a gas emission; an optional rangefinder configured to determine a size of a gas emission plume and a velocity of the gas emission plume; and an imaging device configured to provide an image. The appliance is mounted to an extendable mast on, for example, a trailer such that the system may provide mobile and continuous monitoring of emissions.

LASER-BASED SELECTIVE BTEX SENSING WITH DEEP NEURAL NETWORK
20230060345 · 2023-03-02 ·

A laser-based detection and analysis system for detecting plural members of volatile organic compounds includes a measuring unit configured to simultaneously measure a spectrum of the plural members of the volatile organic compounds located in a measuring chamber, with a laser beam having a wavelength of about 3.3 μm, and a data processing unit including a deep neural network, DNN, configured to process the spectrum measured by the measuring unit and to output an individual concentration of each of the plural members of the volatile organic compounds. The DNN is configured to update a weight W.sub.k for each member of the plural members by using hidden layers having plural nodes, each node having an activation function and an optimizer.

Road management device

A road management device comprises an arithmetic section that performs a certain analysis on a road using information acquired by a moving body (a vehicle) moving along the road. The arithmetic section performs the certain analysis on the road in a first time slot using first information acquired by a first moving body of a first kind, and performs the certain analysis on the road in a second time slot using second information acquired by a second moving body of a second kind.

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR GATHERING DATA RELATING TO CROPS AND FOR MANAGING CROP GROWING OPERATIONS
20220330468 · 2022-10-20 ·

A scanning device for use in gathering data relating to crops is described including: at least one camera; and a stroboscopic light source is associated with each at least one camera; the device is arranged to be moved around an area where a crop is grown and includes a means for determining the location of the device in the area; the device being arranged to take images of the crop from the at least one camera in synchrony with the stroboscopic light source as the device moves around the area; and wherein the stroboscopic light source has a light output of greater than 6×10.sup.−5 joules/cm.sup.2 (at 2 feet).

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS HIGH-SENSITIVITY MEASUREMENT OF METHANE AND ETHANE VIA LASER ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY IN AN OPEN-AIR CONFIGURATION

A system for measuring a target gas via laser absorption spectroscopy in an open-air configuration, comprising a mid-infrared distributed feedback interband cascade laser (mid-IR DFB-ICL) having a wavelength selected to correspond with a spectral absorption line of the target gas and first electronic circuitry to control the laser temperature, current and modulation frequency. The mid-IR DFB-ICL is mounted to a heat sink. The system includes an optical component that projects a beam of the mid-IR DFB-ICL onto a distal backscattering directionally-reflective target and an optical receiver assembly that receives a fraction of the laser light that is backscattered from the directionally-reflective target and focuses the collected light onto an uncooled photodetector having a spectral bandwidth and optical configuration selected to optimize signal-to-noise response to received laser light. The optical receiver assembly comprises a primary mirror for receiving laser light backscattered from the directionally-reflective target and focusing the collected light onto the uncooled photodetector.

REMOTE SENSING OF NATURAL GAS LEAKS
20170370797 · 2017-12-28 · ·

A method of detecting natural gas releases that includes the step of traversing a target area with a gas-filter correlation radiometer having a field of view oriented towards the target area. The gas-filter correlation radiometer receives reflected radiation in a passband from the target area and produces gas-filter correlation radiometer signals from the received reflected radiation. A surface reflectivity spectral profile of the target area is determined. The presence of methane in the target area is then determined based upon the received reflected radiation and the surface reflectivity spectral profile of the target area.

METHODS AND APPARATUS TO GENERATE CALIBRATION MODELS IN A CLOUD ENVIRONMENT

Methods and apparatus to generate calibration models in a cloud environment are disclosed. An example apparatus includes training circuitry to generate a calibration model based on a correlation of reference data and spectra, the reference data based on physical samples collected by one or more vehicles, the spectra associated with the physical samples, and distribution circuitry to provide, via a network communication, the calibration model to the one or more vehicles.

SHORT-WAVE INFRARED SENSOR FOR IDENTIFYING BASED ON WATER CONTENT
20230172455 · 2023-06-08 ·

An optical system operating in the near or short-wave infrared wavelength range identifies an object based on water absorption. The system comprises a light source with modulated light emitting diodes operating at wavelengths near 1090 and 1440 nanometers, corresponding to lower and higher water absorption. The system further comprises one or more wavelength selective filters and a housing that is further coupled to an electrical circuit and a processor. The detection system comprises photodetectors that are synchronized to the light source, and the detection system receives at least a portion of light reflected from the object. The system is configured to identify the object by comparing the reflected light at the first and second wavelength to generate an output value, and then comparing the output value to a threshold. The optical system may be further coupled to a wearable device or a remote sensing system with a time-of-flight sensor.