A micro total analysis system, operating method and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The micro total analysis system includes at least one micro total analysis unit each including: microfluidic device including first electrode and dielectric layer connected to each other, where the dielectric layer drives to-be-measured droplet to move based on voltage of the first electrode; and acoustic wave detection device including second electrode connected to the dielectric layer, where the dielectric layer is also used as transducer of the acoustic wave detection device, and configured to generate acoustic wave toward the droplet based on voltage of the second electrode, and generate a detection result corresponding to the droplet based on received acoustic wave. The micro total analysis system, the operating method and the manufacturing method thereof enables the microfluidic device and the acoustic wave detection device to be integrated in the same chip.

A sonic speed measurement device includes a reception array in which a plurality of reception elements which output reception signals in response to reception of an ultrasonic wave are disposed in one direction, a phase difference detection portion that detects a phase difference between the reception signals output from the reception elements adjacent to each other in a case where the plurality of reception elements receive the ultrasonic wave which propagates in a spherical wave shape from a target point, and a sonic speed calculation portion that calculates a sonic speed of the ultrasonic wave on the basis of the phase difference.

A micro total analysis system, operating method and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The micro total analysis system includes at least one micro total analysis unit each including: microfluidic device including first electrode and dielectric layer connected to each other, where the dielectric layer drives to-be-measured droplet to move based on voltage of the first electrode; and acoustic wave detection device including second electrode connected to the dielectric layer, where the dielectric layer is also used as transducer of the acoustic wave detection device, and configured to generate acoustic wave toward the droplet based on voltage of the second electrode, and generate a detection result corresponding to the droplet based on received acoustic wave. The micro total analysis system, the operating method and the manufacturing method thereof enables the microfluidic device and the acoustic wave detection device to be integrated in the same chip.

Systems and methods for analysing milk are described. A plurality of First Type Sensors (FTPs) are provided, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of Milking Clusters (MKs) of a milking system and configured to analyse milk extracted from an animal by the MK to determine at least one FTP value of a parameter of the milk across an event period. At least one of a Second Type Sensor (STP) associated with at least one of the plurality of MKs is configured to analyse the milk to determine at least one STP value of the parameter within the event period, wherein the STP is less susceptible to animal specific bias than the FTP. An Animal Specific Bias Correction (ASBC) is determined based on the at least one FTP value and the at least one STP value and applied to FTP values for milk extracted from the animal.

An ultrasonic transducer is described, including a piezoelectric element, a fluid medium contact layer, a matching layer between the piezoelectric element and the fluid medium contact layer, and a backing layer. Ultrasound sensor devices utilising the ultrasonic transducer are also described, for use in systems for analysing a fluid such as milk.

Methods, systems and apparatuses using: (i) a flow control unit including: piping inlets and outlets for connecting thereby to different parts located at different locations of a water facility (WF) and of the apparatuses themselves and multiple controllable valves, each being deployed at a different inlet or outlet of the multiple piping inlets and outlets; (ii) a detection unit including at least one sensor for sensing characteristics of the WF in various locations and/or states of the WF; and a controller, configured to control operation of the valves, for measuring one or more characteristics of a selected detection location or state of the WF or of water manipulated within the apparatuses. The methods, systems and apparatuses may further be configured to apply manipulations over a water sample, sampled from the WF and/or over water from the WF and measure responses to the applied manipulation(s).

A sensor assembly is provided for detecting a concentration of a fluid. The sensor assembly includes a sensing unit and a cover assembly. The sensing unit includes a transmitter configured to transmit a signal into a sensing volume and a receiver configured to receive the signal after the signal passes through a portion of the sensing volume. The cover assembly at least partially encloses the sensing volume and is substantially impermeable to a gas portion of the fluid. The cover assembly includes apertures defined therein which are permeable to the gas portion of the fluid. A first plurality of apertures are defined along a top surface of the cover assembly.

Systems and Methods for monitoring characteristics of a water sample taken from a water facility (WF), by using a first light source emitting light at a first wavelength, and an additional light source, emitting light at an additional wavelength which is distinctly different from the first wavelength; for each light source, performing a measurement of the water sample, using an optical sensor outputting updated sensor data and a spectral detector, outputting updated detector data; and determining adjustment properties for adjustment of an analysis model, used for ongoing determination of water characteristics such as the water turbidity level, based on comparison between the measurements for each of the light sources.

This disclosure relates generally to a method and system for determining viscosity information of fluids. The present disclosure utilizes an intensity modulated continuous wave (CW) laser diode-based PA sensing method to obtain a continuous wave photoacoustic (CWPA) spectra. Through this CWPA spectra, a full width half maximum (FWHM) and a spectral area is determined to obtain the information about the viscosity of fluids. Although, the CWPA based sensing technique is used for distinguishing different types of abnormalities in tissues, so far it is not used for measuring viscosity which is an important thermo-physical property. The viscosity information of the fluids from the normalized Gaussian fitted CWPA spectra is based on a viscosity feature computed from a FWHM, and a spectral area. The viscosity feature improves the good of fit parameter (R.sup.2) significantly to 0.98 as compared to the traditional only FWHM based viscosity determination for which R.sup.2 is 0.91.

An ultrasonic touch sensing system that uses both compressional and shear waves for touch and water detection is disclosed. When no touch or water is present, less shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections do not have significant amplitude decreases. When a finger is in contact with the sensing plate, both shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases. When water is in contact with the sensing plate, compressional energy is absorbed but little or no shear wave energy is absorbed, so while compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases, shear wave reflections do not. From these amplitudes, a determination can be made as to whether no touch is present on the sensing plate, whether a touch is present on the sensing plate, or whether water is present on the sensing plate.