Inspection robots with removeable interface plates and method for configuring payload interfaces are described. An example robot may include a payload, with at least one sensor, mounted to a housing of the inspection robot. The housing may include a removeable interface plate coupled to the at least one sensor and to an electronic board, the electronic board positioned within the housing. The removeable interface plate may define an electrical coupling interface compatible with the payload, and the electronic board may include an electrical processing configuration compatible with the payload.

A method includes initiating a vibration of the solid material preferably in cylindrical shape, detecting the vibration by a pair of transducers attached opposing positions diametrically symmetric on a surface of the solid material, and aligned at an angle between a line connecting the pair of transducers and a radial direction of the excitation force being orthogonal, processing an electrical output signal generated by adding the pair of sensor signals to obtain a frequency spectrum. A method may also include identifying a resonance peak of an extensional mode diametrically symmetric, measuring a characteristic of the resonance peak, comparing the characteristic with a series of measured values for standard samples, and determining a defect status. A device includes a vibration exciting tool, a pair of transducers configured to be attached to the surface of the solid cylindrical material aligned at opposing positions diametrically symmetric, a voltage adder, and an analyzing unit.

Systems and methods of determining physical conditions of a battery, such as state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), quality of construction, defect, or failure state include driving two or more acoustic signals of two or more amplitudes, each acoustic signal having two or more frequencies, into the battery and detecting vibrations generated in the battery based on the two or more acoustic signals. Nonlinear response characteristics of the battery for the two or more acoustic signals are determined from the detected vibrations. The physical conditions of the battery are determined based at least in part on the nonlinear response characteristics, using nonlinear acoustic resonance spectroscopy (NARS) or nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS).

The present invention discloses ultrasonic nondestructive methods for pipe wall thickness measurement at high or low temperatures. An ultrasonic detection device comprises a first and a second ultrasonic waveguide. The waveguide length is selected according to the surface temperature of a pipe under inspection. A first piezoelectric plate causes generation of a plurality of ultrasonic excitation signals which is transmitted to the pipe through the first ultrasonic waveguide. The plurality of ultrasonic excitation signals has different group speeds when traveling along the first ultrasonic waveguide. The reflected ultrasonic wave signals are collected and transmitted to a second piezoelectric plate by the second ultrasonic waveguide. The pipe wall thickness is calculated using an ultrasonic wave signal which has the highest group speed. The first and second waveguides are arranged parallel and side by side. An isolation plate is disposed such that the first and second waveguides go through the plate perpendicularly.

A system for monitoring fruit growth including: a vibration exciter that imparts predetermined vibration to a stem or a branch between a fruit and a stalk growing on a plant; a vibration sensor that detects vibration of the stem or the branch caused by the vibration imparted by the vibration exciter; and a detector that detects a weight or weight change of the fruit based on a frequency of the vibration detected by the vibration sensor.

Systems and methods of determining physical conditions of a battery, such as state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), quality of construction, defect, or failure state include driving two or more acoustic signals of two or more amplitudes, each acoustic signal having two or more frequencies, into the battery and detecting vibrations generated in the battery based on the two or more acoustic signals. Nonlinear response characteristics of the battery for the two or more acoustic signals are determined from the detected vibrations. The physical conditions of the battery are determined based at least in part on the nonlinear response characteristics, using nonlinear acoustic resonance spectroscopy (NARS) or nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS).

A method and apparatus for valve position state estimation within a conduit or conduit network, comprising: acoustically coupling a plurality of acoustic sensors to a fluid disposed within the conduit or conduit network, wherein one of the plurality of acoustic sensors is disposed upstream of a valve under test and one of the plurality of acoustic sensors is disposed downstream of the valve under test; transmitting a structured acoustic signal from a transmitting acoustic sensor to a receiving acoustic sensor, wherein the structured acoustic signal passes through the valve under test between the transmitting acoustic sensor and the receiving acoustic sensor; at the transmitting acoustic sensor, receiving a reflected structured acoustic signal after the structured acoustic signal is reflected from the valve under test; and, using a two-port analysis, characterizing a flow state of the valve under test based on the structured acoustic signal received at the receiving acoustic sensor and the reflected structured acoustic signal received at the transmitting acoustic sensor. The method further comprising coupling an accelerometer sensor to the valve under test and obtaining vibrational measurements from the valve under test.

A precious material analyzer may determine one or more characteristics of an unidentified precious material. A vibration injector may cause the unidentified precious material to vibrate with a vibration signature that is dependent on the one or more characteristics of the unidentified precious material. A vibration detector may detect and extract a vibration signature from the vibration of the unidentified precious material caused by the vibration injector. A vibration signature comparator may: compare the detected vibration signature of the unidentified precious material with vibration signatures of multiple identified precious materials having one or more identified characteristics; and flag one or more of the identified precious materials that have vibration signatures that are similar to the vibration signature of the unidentified precious material.

An additive manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment includes a manufacturing unit, an elastic wave generation unit, an elastic wave detection unit, and an inspection unit. The manufacturing unit sequentially stacks a layer formed by emitting a first energy beam to a material and solidifying the material. The elastic wave generation unit emits a second energy beam to a manufactured object including the layer and generates an elastic wave propagating in the manufactured object. The elastic wave detection unit detects the elastic wave. The inspection unit inspects the manufactured object on the basis of a detection result from the elastic wave detection unit.

Systems, apparatuses and methods for growing marijuana plants, particularly for regulated purposes, for example medical purposes or in some jurisdictions recreational purposes, have automated subsystems with sensors to provide feedback information about system, apparatus and plant growth parameters to one or more controllers so that the one or more controllers can alter one or more parameters to provide optimal conditions for the growing and harvesting of the marijuana plants. In particular aspects, the systems, apparatuses and methods provide for control of odors produced during the growing of marijuana, root management of the marijuana plants and control over important levels of chemicals provided to the plants, for example enzymes and flavor additives.