Terahertz spectrometer having a wider range of terahertz radiation source, high temporal resolution of scanning (<0.0.099 μm or ˜0.3 pico second) over a wider range of scanning (up to ˜100 pico seconds). Also disclosed are exemplary applications of the spectrometer in biomedical, biological, pharmaceutical, and security areas.

To provide a means that is less likely to misidentify a crack as a foreign matter during an image inspection in which a vibration is applied to a powder contained in a bag-like container. A foreign matter inspection system includes a vibration device configured to apply a vibration to a container, a photography device configured to optically photograph the inside of the container through a transparent area, and a determination device configured to determine whether a foreign matter is present inside the container based on an image of the container photographed by the photography device. The vibration device alternately applies weak vibrations W and strong vibrations S to the container, and the determination device determines whether the foreign matter is present inside the container based on the image of the container photographed by the photography device when the vibration device applies the weak vibrations W.

A product-inspection apparatus capable of contributing to the improvement in the efficiency of product-inspections of objects to be inspected is provided. A product-inspection apparatus includes a mirror including a first reflection part on a side surface of a first projecting part having a tapered shape, a first imaging unit configured to take images of a plurality of objects to be inspected arranged around the first reflection part through the first reflection part, a light source configured to apply light to the objects to be inspected, and a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the object to be inspected is a quality product based on image information taken by the first imaging unit.

An apparatus for inspecting transparent cylindrical containers comprising a support and/or gripping device for a cylindrical container adapted to support and make it rotate about a vertical rotation axis, a video camera directed to capture images of a window of a side wall of the cylindrical container, a first collimated lighting device that illuminates said window, a second lighting device that illuminates said window and is arranged opposite the first lighting device in a symmetrical position with respect to the window, a control unit operationally connected to the support and/or gripping device, to the video camera and to said first and second lighting devices, and programmed to capture images of said window at constant angular intervals, alternately activating the first and second lighting devices for each angular range until a complete 360° rotation of the cylindrical container is made, and processing the images obtained.

A test apparatus checks containers (13) of plastic and produced using the blow-moulding, filling and sealing methods. The containers are filled with fluid that can contain particulate contamination deposited on the container wall when the container (13) is still and floating freely in the fluid when the container (13) is moving and/or changing position owing to the movement. The contamination can be detected by a sensor (37). By a vibration device (23), the container (13) can be oscillated at a prespecifiable excitation frequency such that the particulate contamination (47) in the fluid can be detected.

A method of inspecting and performing material identification of a contaminant found in a vial may include identifying the presence of the contaminant in a lyophilized medicine within the vial, detaching a portion of the vial to create an enlarged opening in the vial, removing substantially an entire cake of lyophilized medicine through the enlarged opening, and analyzing the contaminant using an atomic emissions spectroscopy (AES) technique such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Systems, fixtures and devices associated with the method are also disclosed.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting foam in a specimen container. The method includes the following steps: transporting a specimen container into a locator well; centering the specimen container in the locator well; rotating the specimen container around a vertical axis in the locator well; imaging the specimen container during the rotation; analyzing an image of the specimen container captured during the rotation; and detecting foam in the specimen container based on the analysis of the image. An apparatus configured to perform the steps is also provided. The method and apparatus may be used in conjunction with a system for automatically determining whether a sample is positive for microorganism growth.

A product-inspection apparatus includes a vibration unit configured to vibrate an object to be inspected at different vibration frequencies in a stepwise manner, the object to be inspected being a product in which a powder is contained in a container, a light source configured to apply light onto an upper surface of the powder, an imaging unit configured to take an image of the upper surface of the powder at a frame rate equal to or higher than a maximum vibration frequency of the vibration unit, and a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the object to be inspected is a quality product based on image information taken by the imaging unit.

A product-inspection apparatus includes a rotation unit configured to, when a direction of gravity is defined as a downward direction, rotate an object to be inspected up and down, the object to be inspected being an object in which a gas and a fluid are hermetically contained in a container, a light source configured to successively apply light to the object to be inspected from different directions, the light being adapted to pass through the object to be inspected, an imaging unit configured to take images of the object to be inspected according to light-application timings at which the light source successively applies the light to the object to be inspected, and a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the object to be inspected is a quality product based on image information taken by the imaging unit.

Nephelometric measuring devices are described. The nephelometric measuring devices can be configured such that an amount of scattered light having different pathlengths impingent upon one or more scattered-light detectors from a beam propagating through a suspension can result in substantially equivalent sensitivity and in correlation between the scattered-light detectors' response and a turbidity value of the suspension. The response of the scattered-light detector(s) receiving scattered light at a nephelometric angle of 85-110° from a beam of light propagating through the suspension can be in accordance to an equation selected from a group of non-linear equations where: x/y=a.sub.nx.sup.n+a.sub.n−1x.sup.n−1+ . . . +a.sub.2x.sup.2+a.sub.1x+a.sub.0; where “n” is an integer greater than 0; “x” is equal to the turbidity value of the suspension; “y” is equal to the response of the scattered-light detector; and “a.sub.n” are calibration coefficients. The maximum response of the scattered-light detector occurs at a turbidity value dependent upon the effective scattered-light pathlength.