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.

System and method for estimating aquatic environment-originating biofilm biomass on a coating of an object. The method includes obtaining one or more digital images of a fouled portion of the coating on the object and determining from each of the one or more images a respective reflectance value for the portion of the coating. The method includes determining on the basis of the one or more reflectance values a value of a spectral index representative of biomass and calculating a biomass pigment surface area density on the basis of the spectral index, SI, and one or more calibration values determined for a reference coating. The method includes compensating the calculated biomass pigment surface area density for the reflectance of the coating of the object by applying a compensation associated with the difference of the reflectance of the coating of the object relative to the reference coating.

An optical device includes: a light source part configured to project illumination light toward a sensing region; a photodetector configured to receive reflected light of the illumination light reflected on the sensing region; and a condenser mirror. The condenser mirror has a through hole through which the illumination light from the light source part passes and an optical axis of the light source part and an optical axis of the condenser mirror are aligned with each other. A reflection surface of the condenser mirror has a shape obtained by cutting out a columnar body extending in a projection direction of the illumination light, with a spheroid whose rotation axis is a major axis. The photodetector is disposed in a direction toward a first focal position of the condenser mirror. The sensing region is set in a direction toward a second focal position of the condenser mirror.

A vehicle and a method of managing cleanliness of an interior of the vehicle that are capable of detecting whether the interior of the vehicle has been contaminated and managing detection information. The method of managing the cleanliness of the interior of the vehicle includes detecting indoor contamination using a contamination detector including at least a camera, analyzing indoor cleanliness based on the result of the detecting, and outputting guidance information based on the analyzed indoor cleanliness. The detecting the indoor contamination includes detecting at least one object in an indoor region of the vehicle subjected to contamination detection and detecting whether contamination has occurred in the indoor region subjected to contamination detection other than a region in which the at least one object is detected.

Visualizing a contaminant is provided. A contaminant of a plurality of different contaminants included in a contaminant knowledgebase is identified based on analysis of contaminant-relevant data received from one or more sensors of a plurality of different sensor arrays regarding an enclosed physical space. A concentration and a type of the contaminant is identified based on the contaminant-relevant data and information included in the contaminant knowledgebase. A location of the contaminant is identified within the enclosed physical space based on location of the one or more sensors that obtained the contaminant-relevant data and a digital twin of the enclosed physical space. A visualization of the contaminant is projected at an area proximate to the location of the contaminant using a holographic image indicating the concentration and the type of the contaminant within the enclosed physical space.

The invention relates to a device for optically inspecting a container that is empty or filled with liquid, comprising an illumination unit and a recording apparatus. The illumination unit comprises an illumination surface, by means of which a two-dimensional light pattern consisting of at least two regions of different light intensities can be produced and the container can be irradiated with light from the light pattern, in particular said light can shine therethrough. According to the invention, a mirror system is further provided which is arranged in the beam path between the illumination unit and the container and comprises at least one concave mirror. The mirror system images the light pattern produced by the illumination unit onto the plane of the entrance pupil of the recording apparatus.

Disclosed is an inspection system having a background positioned adjacent an inspection zone; and an image capturing device configured to receive background electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from the background and from the inspection zone, the inspection zone being configured and arranged to receive material for transport into the inspection zone; wherein the background has a background property defined by a background emission, a background absorbance, and a background reflectance, the background property being matched in EMR to a material EMR of material to be transported into the inspection zone, the material having a material property defined by a material emission, a material absorbance, and a material reflectance; and wherein the image capturing device is configured to detect a foreign object within material when transported into the inspection zone by deducting the background EMR from the material EMR.

A vehicle and/or a method for detecting contaminants on an optical surface are provided. The vehicle includes at least one light source adjacent the optical surface and at least one light detector at an edge of the optical surface. A controller is configured to introduce light from at least one light source into the optical surface, and to measure light at the edge of the optical surface with at least one detector. The controller compares the measured light to a threshold, and, if the measured light crosses the threshold, triggers or implements a response action.

A system includes a robotic device, an ultraviolet (UV) illuminator disposed on the robotic device, an image sensor disposed on the robotic device and configured to sense UV light, and circuitry configured to perform operations. The operations include causing the UV illuminator to emit the UV light towards a feature of an environment, and receiving, from the image sensor, UV image data representing the feature illuminated by the UV light. The operations also include identifying, based on the UV image data, a portion of the feature to be sanitized by the robotic device, and based on the identifying the portion, adjusting a parameter of the UV illuminator from a first value associated with UV imaging to a second value associated with UV sanitization. The operations further include causing the robotic device to sanitize the portion of the feature by emitting, by the UV illuminator, the UV light towards the portion.

A deposit detection device according to an embodiment includes a detection module, a determination module, and an identification module. The detection module detects a deposit region corresponding to a deposit adhering to an imaging device, based on brightness information of an image captured by the imaging device. The determination module determines whether variation in brightness information in a predetermined region of the image is within a predetermined range, in a period after a vehicle is stopped in a state in which the deposit region is detected by the detection module. The identification module identifies brightness information serving as a determination criterion of the deposit region when the determination module determines that the variation in brightness information is within a predetermined range.