A device is provided for IR-spectroscopy and for determining an impairment of a surface which is exposed to measuring radiation during the IR-spectroscopy. The device includes a radiation source to generate the measuring radiation a detector and a sample receptacle for receiving a sample. The sample receptacle is at least partially delimited by the surface. The detector measures radiation after interaction with the sample. The device is configured to measure an IR-reference spectrum of a reference sample which is received in the sample receptacle, evaluate the reference spectrum, determine an indicator of the impairment, wherein evaluating encompasses an integration of a quantity which is based on the reference spectrum over a predetermined integration spectral range, wherein the indicator is determined dependently on a value of the integration.

A method for detecting foreign particles in a liquid, the method may include transmitting transmitted pulses of radiation, by a transmitter, towards a liquid conduit that is filled with liquid; wherein the transmitted pulses comprises pulses that differ from each by being associated with absorbance frequencies of different foreign particles; receiving, by a receiver, received pulses that propagated through liquid as a result of the transmission of the multiple transmitted pulses; comparing between the transmitted pulses and the received pulses to provide a comparison result; determining a liquid contamination based on the comparison result; and cleaning, by a cleaning unit, the liquid conduit with a cleaning solution; wherein a cleaning material of the cleaning solution is supplied from a compressible cleaning material reservoir.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods for detecting events in a flow cytometer. Also provided are methods of detecting cells in a flow cytometer. Other aspects of the present disclosure include methods for determining a level of contamination in a flow cell. Computer-readable media and systems, e.g., for practicing the methods summarized above, are also provided.

A sensor device including a sensor element, a cover panel, and a detection device detecting contaminants on the cover panel. The detection device includes an emitter emitting light, a coupling-in device coupling light into the cover panel, a decoupling device decoupling light from the cover panel, and a detector. The emitter and the coupling-in device couple light into the cover panel at a plurality of angles, and due to total reflection within the cover panel, the light propagates to the decoupling device and reaches the detector. If contaminants are on the cover panel, the total reflection for light coupled in at an angle within an extinction range is at least partially extinguished, and the detector is configured to detect the extinguishing of the total reflection for these angles. The detection device is configured to deduce the type of contaminant from the angles for which the total reflection has been extinguished.

The disclosure relates to a gas analysis method by Raman spectrometry, the method comprising the steps of generating by a laser source a laser beam sweeping a range of frequencies including a plurality of resonance modes of an optical cavity holding gases to be analyzed; delivering the laser beam into the cavity; extracting from the cavity a feedback beam that is sent adjusted in phase and amplitude to the source; during the frequency range sweeping, detecting light intensity peaks in the laser beam in the cavity, the phase of the feedback beam being adjusted to reduce shape asymmetries of the peaks, the amplitude of the feedback beam being adjusted to reduce intervals of zero intensity between the peaks; and performing a spectral analysis of the light inelastically scattered in the cavity, to determine the composition of the gases to be analyzed.

An infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including a focal plane array (FPA) unit behind an optical window. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. One or more of the optical channels may be used in detecting objects on or near the optical window, to avoid false detections of said target species.

An infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including a focal plane array (FPA) unit behind an optical window. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. One or more of the optical channels may be used in detecting objects on or near the optical window, to avoid false detections of said target species.

Provided are methods of assessing the cleanliness of a flow cell of a flow cytometric system. The provided methods include computing a ratio of post-flow cell and pre-flow cell light beam intensities and using such a ratio to assess the cleanliness of the flow cell. Flow cytometric systems capable of monitoring the cleanliness of a flow cell contained within the system are also provided.

A sensing system and method is provided for crop material in a harvester. The sensing system includes a conveyor auger device oriented in a substantially vertical direction and having an entrance aperture, an exit aperture located upwardly above a radially oriented sensing aperture disposed therebetween. The conveyor auger device includes a conveyor auger having a flight for moving crop material upwardly, wherein the flight has a reduced radial extension adjacent the sensing aperture. A sensor disposed at or adjacent the sensing aperture senses the essentially continuously upwardly moving crop material for determining a property thereof.

Certain embodiments provide a self-checking photoelectric sensor that is configured to determine a characteristic (e.g., an amount of blockage and/or wellness/decay) of an optical pathway (e.g., an electro-optical pathway). An example method generally includes increasing, over a time period that starts at a first time, a current input to a light emitting element (LEE). The method generally includes receiving, by a light detection element, an output of the LEE via the optical pathway during the time period. The method generally includes converting, during the time period, the LEE output to a voltage output. The method generally includes determining a second time in the time period when the voltage output crosses a threshold. The method generally includes determining the characteristic of the optical pathway between the LEE and the light detection element based on a difference between the second time and the first time.