The present disclosure provides a portable device and method for controlling an alcoholic beverage through an at least partially transparent container. The method includes acquiring a fluorescence spectrum of the beverage through a wall of the container, normalizing a profile of a measured spectrum according to the maximum intensity of a reference spectrum, calculating a resemblance factor between the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum, and determining if the beverage is genuine according to the obtained value of the resemblance factor.

Among other things, a dispensing device and/or a refill container are provided. The dispensing device may comprise a dispenser component configured to dispense a refill material. A sensor component may be configured to identify an optical property (e.g., whether an optical brightener is present in the refill material) of the refill material. The dispensing device may evaluate the optical property against an optical profile to determine whether the refill material is a valid refill material (e.g., comprises the optical brightener) or an invalid refill material (e.g., does not comprise the optical brightener). Operation of the dispensing device may be enabled based upon the refill material being the valid refill material. If the refill material comprises the invalid refill material, then operation of the dispensing device may be disabled and/or a flush option (e.g., evacuating the invalid refill material from the dispensing device) may be activated.

A method for developing and extracting biological trace evidence comprises the following steps: (1) using a biological fluorescent development reagent to process a porous carrier so as to develop biological trace evidence on the porous carrier, wherein a raw material formulation of the biological fluorescent development reagent is, in percent by weight: 0.01%-0.5% of indanedione, 4%-10% of ethyl acetate, 0.5%-1.5% of glycerol, 5%-15.5% of pure alcohol, and 73.5%-90% of petroleum ether; and (2) extracting the biological trace evidence to obtain DNA information of the biological trace evidence. For crime investigators who need to extract DNA evidence, the method enables targeted extraction of physical evidence, thereby greatly reducing workload, and furthermore, the method can also be used to develop and extract obscure or trace evidence, such as a fingerprint on a garment, thereby greatly improving investigation efficiency.

A method for developing and extracting biological trace evidence comprises the following steps: (1) using a biological fluorescent development reagent to process a porous carrier so as to develop biological trace evidence on the porous carrier, wherein a raw material formulation of the biological fluorescent development reagent is, in percent by weight: 0.01%-0.5% of indanedione, 4%-10% of ethyl acetate, 0.5%-1.5% of glycerol, 5%-15.5% of pure alcohol, and 73.5%-90% of petroleum ether; and (2) extracting the biological trace evidence to obtain DNA information of the biological trace evidence. For crime investigators who need to extract DNA evidence, the method enables targeted extraction of physical evidence, thereby greatly reducing workload, and furthermore, the method can also be used to develop and extract obscure or trace evidence, such as a fingerprint on a garment, thereby greatly improving investigation efficiency.

Among other things, a dispensing device and/or a refill container are provided. The dispensing device may comprise a dispenser component configured to dispense a refill material. A sensor component may be configured to identify an optical property (e.g., whether an optical brightener is present in the refill material) of the refill material. The dispensing device may evaluate the optical property against an optical profile to determine whether the refill material is a valid refill material (e.g., comprises the optical brightener) or an invalid refill material (e.g., does not comprise the optical brightener). Operation of the dispensing device may be enabled based upon the refill material being the valid refill material. If the refill material comprises the invalid refill material, then operation of the dispensing device may be disabled and/or a flush option (e.g., evacuating the invalid refill material from the dispensing device) may be activated.

A three-dimensional (3D) object scanning method includes: controlling, when an invisible light source is off, a first camera device to capture a first image of the target object; and controlling, when the invisible light source is on, a second camera device to capture second images of the target object from a plurality of viewing angles. The target object is painted with invisible markers that are invisible to the first camera device when the invisible light source is off. The invisible markers are visible to the second camera device upon absorbing a light emitted by the invisible light source. The second images are used to determine 3D information of the target object.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a photoluminescent wavelength-shifting material configured to receive an input-light data signal comprising a first range of wavelengths, absorb at least a portion of the received input-light data signal, and produce an emitted-light data signal comprising a second range of wavelengths based on an upper-state lifetime of the photoluminescent wavelength-shifting material. The apparatus also includes a focusing element configured to receive at least a portion of the emitted-light data signal, concentrate the received portion of the emitted-light data signal, and produce a concentrated-light data signal. The apparatus further includes a photodetector configured to receive the concentrated-light data signal, and produce an electrical current corresponding to the concentrated-light data signal.

A mold sensor is configured with an enclosed chamber in which a nutrient-treated substrate is positioned. The mold sensor includes an optical sensor that is configured to measure optical properties in the enclosed chamber. A controller operates the optical sensor and is programmed to detect a presence of mold growing in the chamber based on the optical properties measured by the optical sensor.

Improved devices, systems and methods for measuring in situ saturations of non-aqueous phase liquids and/or petroleum in media such as soil. A clear or otherwise UV-transparent well for detecting fluorescence in a soil column having a transparent casing and an oil sensing device positioned in the well configured to monitor the soil column. A method for real-time estimation of LNAPL saturations in media, including emplacing a UV-transparent well in the media and recording fluorescence in the media via an oil sensing device.

The present disclosure provides a portable device and method for controlling an alcoholic beverage through an at least partially transparent container. The method includes acquiring a fluorescence spectrum of the beverage through a wall of the container, normalizing a profile of a measured spectrum according to the maximum intensity of a reference spectrum, calculating a resemblance factor between the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum, and determining if the beverage is genuine according to the obtained value of the resemblance factor.