An ultrasonic pulse transmitter is provided that is configured to transmit an ultrasonic pulse through a target liquid medium. A receiver is also provided. Per one embodiment, a reflector is coupled to an automated positioner that moves the reflector to select different positions at select distances from an ultrasonic transceiver. A holder is provided that is configured to maintain the pulse transmitter at a controlled position in relation to the target liquid medium, and that is configured to be carried. In one embodiment of a method, ultrasonic pulses are transmitted through a target liquid medium. The transmitted ultrasonic pulses are then received. A vessel is provided to hold the liquid medium without the use of a seal on the vessel.

Various implementations, systems and methods are disclosed for continuous, near real-time, hands-off sampling of airborne particulate matter, and qualification and/or quantification of biomolecules in the sample representative for biologic or microbial contamination. The systems and methods may utilize an electrostatic precipitator for sampling the matter; and a measurement assembly configured to illuminate, excite, or breakdown the sampled matter by electromagnetic radiation, and to detect a spectrum, or one or more wavelength bands of the scatter emitted by the sample. In an exemplary implementation, a sputter deposition process is employed to configure the sample for an enhanced plasmon resonance. The measurement data may be transferred via wireless communication means for cloud storage and signal processing.

An apparatus including a fluidic input and a die including a microfluidic chamber, may receive a biologic sample. The microfluidic chamber may include a foyer to contain a portion of the biologic sample, and an inlet impedance-based sensor to detect passage of a cell of the biologic sample into the foyer. A target nozzle may eject a first volume, corresponding with a target concentration of cells of the biologic sample. A spittoon nozzle may eject a second volume of the portion of the biologic sample into a spittoon location. An output impedance-based sensor may be disposed within a threshold distance of the target nozzle to detect passage of a cell of the biologic sample into the target nozzle. Moreover, the apparatus may include circuitry to control firing of the target nozzle and the spittoon nozzle based on signals received from the inlet impedance-based sensor and the output impedance-based sensor.

The present technology relates to systems and associated methods for measuring properties of particles in a solution. In one or more embodiments, a particle measurement system is configured to generate a reference signal, communicate the reference signal across a plurality of resistors and overlapping pairs of electrodes that define detection regions for particulates traveling through a microchannel, and measure various properties of the particles based on detecting changes in the communicated reference signal.

A sensor for particle identification, the sensor comprising: a first chamber configured to be filled with an electrolytic solution; a first electrode provided inside the first chamber and configured to be connected to an external power supply for applying a voltage; a second chamber configured to be filled with the electrolytic solution; a second electrode provided inside the second chamber and configured to be connected to the external power supply; a data output means configured to output measurement data expressing an ion current generated between the first electrode and the second electrode; a partition separating the first chamber and the second chamber; and a presentation means for providing a unique identifier to an external computer device over a network. The partition includes a pore connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, a physical property of the sensor is associated with the unique identifier, the sensor is configured such that when a particle passes through the pore, a transient change dependent on at least a physical property of the pore and a physical property of the particle occurs in the ion current generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the unique identifier is configured to cause the external computer device receiving the unique identifier to perform a process of identifying the particle according to the physical property of the sensor associated with the unique identifier. The physical property of the sensor at least includes a physical property of the pore.

Methods are presented which use impedance flow cytometry for rapid susceptibility testing of antimicrobial agents including phage, antimicrobial peptides and rapid analysis of antimicrobial mediated serum bactericidal assays.

An example system includes an input channel having a first end and a second end to receive particles through the first end, a sensor to categorize particles in the input channel into one of at least two categories, and at least two output channels Each output channel is coupled to the second end of the input channel to receive particles from the input channel, and each output channel is associated with at least one category of the at least two categories. Each output channel has a corresponding pump operable, based on the categorization of a detected particle in a category associated with a different output channel, to selectively slow, stop, or reverse a flow of particles into the output channel from the input channel.

Embodiments include devices and methods for detecting particles, monitoring etch or deposition rates, or controlling an operation of a wafer fabrication process. In an embodiment, a particle monitoring device for particle detection includes several capacitive micro sensors mounted on a wafer substrate to detect particles under all pressure regimes, e.g., under vacuum conditions. In an embodiment, one or more capacitive micro sensors is mounted on a wafer processing tool to measure material deposition and removal rates in real-time during the wafer fabrication process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

The apparati, methods, and computer program products disclosed herein can be used to nondestructively detect undissolved particles, such as glass flakes and/or protein aggregates, in a fluid in a vessel, such as, but not limited to, a fluid that contains a drug.

A differential emissivity imaging device for measuring evaporable particle properties can include a heated plate, a thermal camera, a memory device, and an output interface. The heated plate can have an upper surface oriented to receive falling evaporable particles. The evaporable particles have a particle emissivity and the upper surface has a plate surface emissivity. The thermal camera can be oriented to produce a thermal image of the upper surface. A memory device can include instructions that cause the imaging device to calculate a mass of the individual evaporable particle via heat conduction using a calculated surface area and an evaporation time.