A microfluidic device and method is provided for concentrating particles in a fluid sample. The microfluidic device has a chamber, wherein the chamber has a filtering unit defining a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment being in fluid communication with the second compartment and being for receiving a fluid sample containing particles, the filtering unit being configured to selectively retain particles of the fluid sample based on a size of the particles, at a sub-region of the first compartment as the fluid sample flows from the first compartment to the second compartment; and an acoustic transducer configured to generate acoustic waves in the sub-region to disperse the particles.

A particle control method configured prevent an extremely small quantity of particles descending on a stream of a laminar flow in a clean zone through which the laminar flow flows (as in a RABS or isolator device) from descending to a specific position or to guide the particles so as to have them descend to a specific position by controlling movement of the particles. [Solution] A particle descent position is separated away from a board surface of the oscillation board by using an acoustic radiation pressure generated by prompting ultrasonic vibration of the oscillation board disposed with a board surface substantially in parallel with a flow direction of the laminar flow. Moreover, by using a node of a standing wave field generated by prompting the ultrasonic vibration of two oscillation boards disposed with the board surfaces faced with each other, the particle is guided to a direction of a node of a standing wave field. Moreover, by using a focal point of the ultrasonic wave generated by prompting the ultrasonic wave of four oscillation boards, that is, two pairs disposed with the board surfaces faced with each other, the particle is guided to the focal point of the ultrasonic wave.

An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for detecting microbiological activity in an industrial process may include a plurality of satellite units, a processing unit, and a main analysis unit. Each satellite unit may be configured to sample a liquid from the industrial process at a plurality of respective locations, periodically analyse a sample, carry out an impedance analysis to count and measure the size of particles passing through an orifice, and generate sample results data corresponding to the number and size of particles in each sample. The processing unit may be configured to compare the sample results data to a predetermined criterion and to generate an alert signal if the particle data is outside of the predetermined criterion. The main analysis unit may be configured to carry out a combined impedance and electromagnetic emission analysis of a sample of liquid from the industrial process following generation of the alert signal.

Various methods and systems are provided for determining a quality of a medical gas flow. In one example, a method for a medical gas quality monitoring system includes obtaining measurements of a medical gas via a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors including at least one of a humidity sensor, a particulate matter sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a total volatile organic compound (tVOC) sensor, determining a gas quality index of the medical gas based on the obtained measurements, and outputting the determined gas quality index.

A system for real-time detection of airborne pathogens is disclosed. The system includes: an air intake unit defining an inlet and an air inflow channel; a fan configured to cause air in a sampling environment to flow into the air inflow channel via the inlet; a cooling unit for cooling air in the air inflow channel; a collection chamber for collecting liquid water condensed from air in the air inflow channel, the collection chamber including: an active target substrate having a surface that is coated with bioreceptors; and a reference target substrate that is not coated with bioreceptors, and an optical detection unit that is configured to independently illuminate the active target substrate and the reference target substrate with light for detecting presence of an airborne pathogen.

A particle detector, having a housing defining a chamber; an air stream injector, producing an airstream in said chamber from air taken from outside said chamber; a light source, producing a light beam that crosses the air stream and wherein said light beam is shaped so that a transverse extent of said light beam has a uniform intensity over said transverse extent of said air stream. Also, a photon detection assembly, including an optical train of lenses, is positioned to accept light from said light beam, emitted by the particles, and to focus this light onto a photon detector. A particle detection assembly detects the particles, responsive to the photon detection assembly. Finally, a particle size estimation assembly estimates size for each detected particle, based on number of photons detected by said photon detection assembly from said particle, as it crosses said light beam.

An air quality and particulate detection system comprising: an air quality and particulate detector comprising a particulate detection chamber in fluid communication via an orifice with an adjacent air quality member, the particulate detection chamber comprising a blower adjacent to a particle filter and a laser source, and the air quality member comprising a channel having substantially parallel sides for operably coupling a HEPA filter adjacent and substantially parallel to the orifice, and for operably coupling one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) downstream from the HEPA filter, and an exhaust pipe for returning treated air to a protected area; one or more pipe runs fluidly connected to the particulate detection chamber, wherein each of the one or more pipe runs includes one or more sampling points configured to allow air particulate entry from the protected area, into at least one of the one or more pipe runs.

A mold sensor include a housing that defines an enclosed chamber in which a nutrient-treated substrate is positioned. The mold sensor includes a substrate advancement mechanism that is configured to selectively move the substrate to expose a surface of the substrate within the chamber. The mold sensor includes a sensor configured to detect mold growth on the substrate within the chamber.

Various methods, devices, and systems for determining the concentration of microorganisms in a sample and determining the susceptibility of such microorganisms to one or more antibiotics or other types of anti-infectives are disclosed herein. More specifically, methods for quantifying microorganisms based on redox reactions are disclosed along with systems and devices for quantifying such microorganisms using certain oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensors. Moreover, methods for determining the susceptibility and the degree of susceptibility of microorganisms to one or more anti-infectives are disclosed along with multiplex systems for such assays.

A particle counting system includes a particle counting means and pre-stage irradiation means. The particle counting means counts particles existing in a fluid by irradiating the fluid containing target particles with light at a predetermined wavelength, separating selectively autofluorescence or phosphorescence emitted from the target particles by the radiated light, receiving the separated autofluorescence or phosphorescence, and determining that the target particles are the particles according to the received autofluorescence or phosphorescence. The pre-stage irradiation means irradiates the fluid with ultraviolet light in advance before the particle counting means irradiates the fluid with the light at the predetermined wavelength. The particle counting means includes a band-pass filter that allows light having a wavelength of 450 nm to 600 nm to pass therethrough.