A dispenser and methods for dispensing a material into a receptacle comprises a dispenser outlet for dispensing material into the receptacle; a support for receiving a receptacle; at least one lateral sensor positioned to laterally sense a receptacle received on the support; an upper sensor positioned to sense a receptacle received on the support from above; and a controller operatively connected to the lateral and upper sensors. The controller is configured to sense the presence of a receptacle received on the support, calculate the volume of the receptacle and/or the volume of material within the receptacle from data received from the lateral and upper sensors, and control the volume of material dispensed from the dispenser outlet into the receptacle based upon the calculated volume of the receptacle and/or the volume of material within the receptacle.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a fluid sensor apparatus for capturing a filling level and/or a quality of a fluid in a fluid container. The fluid sensor apparatus may include: a printed circuit board having a recess extending at least partially into the printed circuit board along a thickness and a fastening area; an ultrasonic transducer fitted to the fastening area so the ultrasonic transducer extends at least partially over the recess; and a housing at least partially surrounding the printed circuit board and the ultrasonic transducer so a portion of the housing area is arranged in the recess.

A level measuring instrument is provided, including a microwave integrated circuit in a form of a radar system on chip with several transmission channels, each configured to generate a high-frequency transmission signal, and one or more receiving channels, each configured to receive reflected signals from a product surface; a noise level reduction device configured to increase a signal-to-noise ratio of a received signal, which relates to the reflected signals from the product surface, by averaging results of several measurements carried out in succession in time; and/or a signal level increasing device configured to combine two of the several transmission channels to produce a combined transmission signal with increased power and/or to combine two of the receiving channels to produce a combined reception signal with increased power. A method for measuring a level of a medium in a container or a surface topology of the medium is also provided.

A level measuring instrument is provided, including a microwave integrated circuit in a form of a radar system on chip with several transmission channels, each configured to generate a high-frequency transmission signal, and one or more receiving channels, each configured to receive reflected signals from a product surface; a noise level reduction device configured to increase a signal-to-noise ratio of a received signal, which relates to the reflected signals from the product surface, by averaging results of several measurements carried out in succession in time; and/or a signal level increasing device configured to combine two of the several transmission channels to produce a combined transmission signal with increased power and/or to combine two of the receiving channels to produce a combined reception signal with increased power. A method for measuring a level of a medium in a container or a surface topology of the medium is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining at least one process variable of a medium. The method includes steps of recording a first value for the process variable by means of a first method for determining the process variable and recording a second value for the process variable by means of a second method for determining the process variable. The method also includes steps of selecting at least one of the detected values for the process variable by means of a classifier and outputting the selected value for the process variable. The present disclosure further relates to a computer program designed for executing a method according to the present disclosure, and to a computer program product having a computer program according to the present disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining at least one process variable of a medium. The method includes steps of recording a first value for the process variable by means of a first method for determining the process variable and recording a second value for the process variable by means of a second method for determining the process variable. The method also includes steps of selecting at least one of the detected values for the process variable by means of a classifier and outputting the selected value for the process variable. The present disclosure further relates to a computer program designed for executing a method according to the present disclosure, and to a computer program product having a computer program according to the present disclosure.

Apparatus is provided for estimating a flow rate of a fluent solid material in a generally horizontal pipe having a movable transportation element such as an auger in the pipe for transporting the material along the pipe including distance sensors mounted in the pipe in an upper part of the pipe and arranged to detect the distance of the material in a lower part of the pipe from the sensor. Another sensor is provided to detect the rate of movement of the transportation element for example by detecting the metal of the auger flight. The output from the sensors is fed to a control system for analyzing the output signals from the sensors over time to provide the estimate of flow rate. The sensors can be mounted in a pressurized enclosure to prevent escape of dust though openings for the sensors.

A guide robot includes a lower module includes a wheel and a motor provided inside the lower module, and an upper module disposed at an upper portion of the lower module and including a trash can assembly and a display unit. The upper module includes a body part coupled to the upper portion of the lower module and a head part rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the body part. The body part includes a front case forming a front outer appearance of the body part and including the trash can assembly provided inside the front case, and a rear case forming a rear outer appearance of the body part and including the display unit. A garbage insertion part is provided at a portion of the front case corresponding to an upper portion of the trash can assembly to insert garbage into the trash can assembly.

An electric kitchen appliance has a pot for receiving food to be processed using the electric kitchen appliance. An ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver are provided in order to determine the fill level of the food in the pot. The ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are attached to the upper edge of the pot such that an ultrasound signal can be transmitted onto the surface of the food by the ultrasound transmitter, and an ultrasound signal reflected by the surface of the food can be received by the ultrasound receiver. In this manner, an electric kitchen appliance is provided which allows the fill state of the food in the pot to be determined in a simple and reliable manner.

An ultrasonic nebulizer includes a working tank configured to be detachable with respect to a main body. The working tank includes a rod-shaped tank-side contact electrode that extends in a vertical direction along an outer wall of the working tank. A specific portion that corresponds to a portion in a circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface of the tank-side contact electrode is exposed from the outer wall, and the remaining portion of the outer circumferential surface of the tank-side contact electrode is embedded inside of the outer wall and is connected to an electrode of an ultrasonic vibrator. A main body-side contact electrode comes into contact with the specific portion of the outer circumferential surface of the tank-side contact electrode when the working tank is mounted on the main body.