A fluid feeder includes a fluid storage unit and a pre-treatment unit. The fluid storage unit provides a fluid flow path through which a fluid mixture of a hydrophilic fluid and a hydrophobic fluid flows. The fluid storage unit is connected through a plurality of connectors to the fluid flow path having a portion, in which an ultrasound focusing unit for focusing ultrasound to disperse and mix the fluids contained in the fluid mixture by focused ultrasound is mounted, to flow the fluid mixture in the fluid flow path and to flow the fluid mixture dispersed by the ultrasound focusing unit through the fluid flow path. In the pre-treatment unit, the fluid mixture is dispersed at micrometer scale and supplied to the fluid storage unit before the fluid mixture is stored in the fluid storage unit.

A receptacle having a plurality of interconnected chambers arranged to permit multiple process steps or processes to be performed independently or simultaneously. The receptacles are manufactured to separate liquid from dried reagents and to maintain the stability of the dried reagents. An immiscible liquid, such as an oil, is included to control loading of process materials, facilitate mixing and reconstitution of dried reagents, limit evaporation, control heating of reaction materials, concentrate solid support materials to prevent clogging of fluid connections, provide minimum volumes for fluid transfers, and to prevent process materials from sticking to chamber surfaces. The receptacles can be adapted for use in systems having a processing instrument that includes an actuator system for selectively moving fluid substances between chambers and a detector. The actuator system can be arranged to concentrate an analyte present in a sample. The detector can be used to detect an optical signal emitted by the contents of the receptacle.

A system for analyzing feed mixtures, which comprises: a mixing apparatus suitable for containing a plurality of feeds and comprising a mixing means suitable for mixing said plurality of feeds so as to define a feed mixture; a sensing means suitable for acquiring chemical and/or physical parameters of the feed mixture; and a processing unit connected to the sensing means. The sensing means comprises at least an image acquisition device and the processing unit is configured to determine the degree of homogeneity of the feed mixture and/or configured to determine the length of the fibers included in the mixture.

A method is provided for testing a diffusely reflective liquid for color strength, said liquid comprising particles in a carrier medium, e.g. white emulsion paint based on titanium dioxide. The method comprises measuring in situ a lightness parameter of the liquid, of the carrier medium and of the liquid diluted with amounts of carrier medium; and determining from said measurements a dilution parameter indicating the amount of carrier medium needed to produce a predetermined reduction in the lightness parameter of the liquid, said dilution parameter providing an indication of color strength. The lightness parameter may be L* in the CIE L*, a*, b* color space, and the test may be carried out using a diffuse reflection probe (10) configured to direct light from said probe (10) into the liquid and configured to collect a portion of the light from the probe (10) diffusely reflected by the paint for determining the lightness parameter. The results may be used for process control e.g. in emulsion paint manufacture.

Described herein is a method for producing a sealant. The method includes mixing a first material with a second material at a manufacturing site to produce the sealant. The method also includes applying x-ray energy to the sealant at the manufacturing site. The method includes measuring an amount of fluorescence emitted from the sealant in response to applying the x-ray energy. The method also includes calculating a mix ratio of the first and second materials of the sealant based on the amount of fluorescence. The method includes determining whether the mix ratio is within a predetermined mix ratio range.

An interlocking method and blending apparatus is provided which includes a base, container, and lid. The apparatus comprises light emitters, light sensors, and light reflectors. Light is emitted by the light emitters from the base, through the container, and toward the lid. Light reflectors in the lid reflect the light back through the container and toward the base. The light sensors detect the reflected light and can be used to control operation of the blender and illumination of the container. Light may be in the visible spectrum, or sub-visible spectrum. The light emitters and light sensors may be at the base and/or the bottom of the container.

An automated system for automatically mixing and verifying paint is described. The system may include a kiosk configured to automatically add a paint of a second color to a paint container holding a first color of paint so as to produce a requested third color of paint. The system may further verify that the mixed paint color is the requested paint color using a laser to perform verification.

A powdery-material measurement device includes a sensor probe configured to receive reflected light from mixed-powdery materials passing adjacent thereto or transmitted light through the mixed-powdery materials to measure characteristics of the mixed-powdery materials while the powdery-material measurement device is in operation to deliver the mixed-powdery materials toward an equipment, and a standard sample having known characteristics and facing the sensor probe that is disposed to receive the reflected light from the standard sample or the transmitted light through the standard sample, when the mixed-powdery materials are not present adjacent the sensor probe while the powdery-material measurement device is in operation to deliver the mixed-powdery materials toward the equipment.

A delivery system of a colored product having a target color including an application device of the colored product, at least two reservoirs each containing a respective base product, a calculation module configured to receive the information concerning the target color and to determine a composition of the colored product from the base products contained in the reservoirs, at least one metering device in fluid communication with the reservoirs, configured to deposit on the application device a dose of each of the base products corresponding to the determined composition, a mixing device configured to mix the doses of base products deposited on the application device. Also, a method for delivering a colored product having a target color via the delivery system. Finally, the use of the system for applications requiring the delivery of a colored product having a target color.

A cosmetic dispenser comprising a base and a wand structure. The base includes multiple cartridge receptacles configured to receive removable cartridges. Each cartridge is configured to contain a different pigment. The base also includes multiple pumps configured to dispense pigment from the respective cartridge to a container. The wand structure includes a scanner including a skin tone sensor configured to capture data indicative of a user's skin color. The cosmetic dispenser is configured to receive the data indicative of the user's skin color from the wand structure and determine an amount of each pigment in the cartridges needed to create a cosmetic foundation having a shade of the user's skin color when combined with a foundation base. The cosmetic dispenser is configured to cause one or more of the pumps to dispense the amount of each pigment from respective cartridges needed to create the cosmetic.