According to one embodiment, an automatic analyzer includes dispenser, measurer, thermostat, cooler and cleaner. Dispenser dispenses a specimen and a reagent into a reaction vessel. Measurer measures a solution mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the vessel. Thermostat heats the mixture to a first temperature at which thermoresponsive polymers contained in the reagent aggregate. Cooler cools a cleaning fluid used to clean the vessel to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, at which the polymers contained in the reagent disperse. Cleaner cleans the vessel from which the mixture has been drained, using the cooled fluid.

Electromagnetic chip detectors and associated methods of detecting a metallic chip in engine fluid of an engine are provided. The method comprises supplying an electric current to a circuit extending between a first node and a second node to magnetize both a first electrically conductive terminal and a second electrically conductive terminal spaced apart from each other to define a chip-receiving gap therebetween, and detecting a change in resistance across the first node and the second node. The change in resistance is indicative of a capture of the chip by the electromagnetic chip detector. The chip electrically connects the first electrically conductive terminal to the second electrically conductive terminal. The first electrically conductive terminal is electrically connected to the first node. The second electrically conductive terminal is electrically connected to the second node.

A soot sensing system includes a soot sensor having a first element, and circuitry to an amount of soot accumulated on the element and to control heating of the element in response to the soot accumulation. An electrostatic repelling voltage (ERV) may be applied to a sensor/heater element(s) during a contamination prevention mode (CPM) to repel ash and reduce contamination of the sensor. A pulsed heating voltage (PHV) may be applied to the elements during the CPM and a pulsed ERV may be applied to the elements during the “off” period of the PHV. All voltage to the elements may be turned off during the CPM and the elements may be floating/ground. A PHV may be applied to the elements during the CPM and no voltage may be applied to the elements during the “off” period of the PHV. A heating voltage may be applied to the elements during a CPM corresponding to a cold start.

Methods of forming a shear-mode chemical/physical sensor for liquid environment sensing on V-shaped grooves of a [100] crystal orientation Si layer and the resulting devices are provided. Embodiments include forming a set of V-shaped grooves in a [100] Si layer over a substrate; forming an acoustic resonator over and along the V-shaped grooves, the acoustic resonator including a first metal layer, a thin-film piezoelectric layer, and a second metal layer in an IDT pattern or a sheet; and forming at least one functional layer along a slope of the acoustic resonator.

Systems and methods are provided for reliably detecting aerosolized virus particles using electrochemical characteristics of the virus, and its interaction with π-conjugated conducting solid-state substrates.

The magnetic chip detector system can have a first conductor member and a second conductor member both exposed to a liquid flow path and separated from one another by gap, each one of the conductor members having a magnetic field oriented into the liquid flow path, at least a first one of the magnetic fields being actively modifiable; an electrical energy source configured to induce a current circulation across the gap; and a meter configured to measure a response of the gap to the induced current circulation.

A method and a system for monitoring a mechanical system, the mechanical system including a lubrication system provided with a reservoir containing a lubricating liquid, with a lubrication circuit designed to lubricate the mechanical system, as well as with a particle detection device arranged in the lubrication circuit. The detection device makes it possible, in particular, to count the number of particles flowing through the lubrication circuit and/or the flow rate of the particles. Comparing that number or that flow rate with a first threshold makes it possible to determine a risk of damage affecting the mechanical system and to anticipate the maintenance or reinforced monitoring operations that possibly need to be performed.

Systems configured to perform determining a measurement time period, generating a plurality of clock signals, receiving a plurality of analog signals during the determined measurement time period, the measurement time period establishing a maximum signal resolution associated with the clock and a sigma-delta modulator as a function of analog to digital conversion time to obtain a higher signal resolution, modulating the received plurality of analog signals to generate a frequency data stream over the measurement time period based on the received plurality of analog signals by synchronizing each of the received plurality of analog signals to a corresponding one of the generated plurality of clock signals, and filtering one or more signal artifacts from the frequency data stream over the measurement time period.

A MEMS device for detecting particulate and gases in the air, comprising: a first semiconductor body; a second semiconductor body with a first surface facing a first surface of the first semiconductor body; and a first spacer element and a second spacer element, which extend between the first surfaces of the semiconductor bodies so as to arrange them at a distance apart from one another and define a first duct. The MEMS device further comprises at least one of the following: a first particulate sensor comprising a first emitter unit for generating acoustic waves in the first duct, and a first particulate-detection unit for detecting the particulate, the first emitter unit and the first particulate-detection unit facing one another through the first duct; and a first gas sensor, which faces the first duct and is configured to detect said gases in the air present in the first duct.

A sensor board includes an insulating substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, first detection electrodes located on the upper surface of the insulating substrate, second detection electrodes located on the lower surface of the insulating substrate, and a heat generator located between the first detection electrodes and the second detection electrodes inside the insulating substrate and including at least one conductor layer. A portion of the insulating substrate between the heat generator and the first detection electrodes has the same thickness as a portion of the insulating substrate between the heat generator and the second detection electrodes.