An optical sensor system may include a light source. The optical sensor system may include a concentrator component proximate to the light source and configured to concentrate light from the light source with respect to a measurement target. The optical sensor system may include a collection component that includes an array of at least two components configured to receive light reflected or transmitted from the measurement target. The optical sensor system may include may a sensor. The optical sensor system may include a filter provided between the collection component and the sensor.

An optical sensor system may include a light source. The optical sensor system may include a concentrator component proximate to the light source and configured to concentrate light from the light source with respect to a measurement target. The optical sensor system may include a collection component that includes an array of at least two components configured to receive light reflected or transmitted from the measurement target. The optical sensor system may include may a sensor. The optical sensor system may include a filter provided between the collection component and the sensor.

A high-throughput optofluidic device for detecting fluorescent droplets is disclosed. The device uses time-domain encoded optofluidics to detect a high rate of droplets passing through parallel microfluidic channels. A light source modulated with a minimally correlating maximum length sequences is used to illuminate the droplets as they pass through the microfluidic device. By correlating the resulting signal with the expected pattern, each pattern formed by passing droplets can be resolved to identify individual droplets.

The invention relates to a portable reflectometer and to a method for characterizing the collector mirrors used in solar power plants for the in-field characterization of reflection coefficients. The equipment includes all of the components required for this measurement, such as a module to measure the reflection coefficient of the mirror, an electronic data acquisition and processing system, a system for processing data and controlling the equipment, a system for storing the data of interest, a user interface system, and a system allowing communication between the aforementioned systems and an outer casing. The equipment can be used to characterize the specular reflection coefficient of flat or curved mirrors of different thicknesses, without requiring adjustments to be made to the equipment, minimizing the influence of diffuse reflection on the measurement.

A soil mapping system for collecting and mapping soil reflectance data in a field includes an implement having a furrow opener for creating a furrow and an optical module. The optical module is arranged to collect soil reflectance data at a predetermined depth within the furrow as the implement traverses a field. The optical module includes two monochromatic light sources, a window arranged to press against the soil, and a photodiode for receiving light reflected back from the soil through the window. The two light sources have different wavelengths and are modulated at different frequencies. The photodiode provides a modulated voltage output signal that contains reflectance data from both of the light sources. Additional measurement devices are carried by the implement for collecting additional soil property data, such as electrical conductivity, pH, and elevation, which can be used together with the optical data to determine variations in soil organic matter.

A sensor and analyzer for measuring an analyte in a liquid sample are disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate with a reservoir disposed therein. The reservoir may include a top surface and a bottom surface, at least one transparent portion forming at least a part of the bottom surface of the reservoir, and a reflector disposed on the upper surface of the reservoir at a location opposite the at least one transparent portion. The analyzer may include a support surface, an aperture extending through the support surface, a light source disposed below the support surface and oriented so that at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source passes through the aperture, and a detector configured to measure an intensity of light received at the detector.

A sensor platform for the assessment of the condition and quality of fluids while in service is based on a combination of solid-state light sources (LEDs) and detectors housed within a single integrated package. The sensor platform configured to be standalone in operation and comprises interfacing optics and acquisition and processing electronics. The sensor platform is configured to obtain inputs from multiple stimulus points and correlates these to changes in the overall composition or condition of the fluid. The sensing method can be described as a combination of a differential sensor, by monitoring changes from the normal status of the fluid, and an inferential sensor where changes are interpreted in terms of global impact rather than specific localized changes in component concentration.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the detection of optical emission from individual members of a sample of micro-organisms where the flow is focused in a specific region, comprising an optical device including a light source configured to emit light in a first direction to individual members of the sample and a detection device configured to detect in a field of view optical emission from the individual members emitted in a second direction opposite to the first direction and excited by the light emitted by the light source and a fluid device including a storage reservoir configured to store the sample of micro-organisms, a pumping device, in particular, a circulation pump capable of producing different pulsed pressures to affect the flow configured to circulate the sample of micro organisms in the storage reservoir and wherein a capillary channel is arranged in the storage reservoir configured to allow a flow of individual members of the sample such that one individual member only is present in the field of view of the detection device at a given time of detection of the optical emission.

An optical sensor for determining the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a medium incudes a light source configured to emit transmitted light having a wavelength of less than 300 nm into the medium; a detector for receiving received light, wherein the detector is configured at least for receiving received light having a wavelength of 300 nm to 400 nm, wherein the transmitted light is converted into received light by means of fluorescence in the medium as a function of the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein a detector signal is generated from the received light; and a data processing unit configured to determine the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using the detector signal, wherein the data processing unit controls the light source such that the light source emits modulated transmitted light according to a duty cycle. Methods of using the optical sensor are further disclosed.

A spectrometer system may be used to determine one or more spectra of an object, and the one or more spectra may be associated with one or more attributes of the object that are relevant to the user. While the spectrometer system can take many forms, in many instances the system comprises a spectrometer and a processing device in communication with the spectrometer and with a remote server, wherein the spectrometer is physically integrated with an apparatus. The apparatus may have a function different than that of the spectrometer, such as a consumer appliance or device.