Method and apparatus for detecting organic materials and objects from multispectral reflected light

• US 7,767,966 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bowling Green State University
• Original Assignee: Bowling Green State University
• Inventors: Sridhar, B. B. Maruthi, Vincent, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, MINDY D
• Application Number:
  US12/214,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 250/339.01, 250/339.11
• US Class Current: 250/339.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1793 Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8444 Fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/314 with comparison of measurements at specific and non-specific wavelengths dual wavelength spectrometry G01J3/427
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/84 Systems specially adapted for particular applications

Abstract

The present invention is a method of determining the presence of keratin, particularly hard keratin, such as exists in mammalian hair and feathers, and objects comprising such materials. The method of the present invention also includes displaying information derived from such a determination, as well as a measurement method followed by transmission of data to a remote processing site for analysis or display. The invention also includes devices for carrying out the determination, display and/or transmission.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing with a sensor unit reflected light in the short wave infrared wavelength region from objects in an area said area comprising at least one first object bearing hard keratin and second objects bearing no keratin; and

(b) determining whether hard keratin is present in said area based upon the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object, which spectral characteristic is not found in said second objects, that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin, so as to distinguish at least one first object from said second objects within said area.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one local minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said determination step includes identifying at least two reflectance minima in the short wave infrared wavelength region that are indicative of the presence of hard keratin which do not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said determination step includes identifying at least three reflectance minima in the short wave infrared wavelength region that are indicative of the presence of hard keratin, which do not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one local maximum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one reflectance minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said at least one reflectance minimum in the short wave near infrared wavelength region is in the range of from about 1400 nanometers to about 2300 nanometers.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determination generates data, and additionally comprising creating a visual display so as to display said at least one first object in said area.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said determination generates data from a scan of said area indicating the presence of said at least one first object in said area and the presence of non-hard keratin objects in said area, and additionally comprising creating a visual display of said area so as to distinguish said at least one first object from said second objects in said area.

10. A method according to claim 9, additionally comprising determining the heat signature of said at least one first object and said second objects in said area, and additionally comprising displaying the heat signature of said at least one first object and said second objects in said area.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) includes determining whether feathers are present in said area based upon the identification of at least one spectral characteristic that is indicative of the presence of feathers.

12. A method according to claim 11 additionally comprising the step of:

(d) distinguishing between objects comprising mammalian hair and objects comprising feathers within said region.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sensor unit is mounted on a vehicle, wherein said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of aircraft, automobiles, satellites, boats and buoys.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sensor unit is mounted on a structure, wherein said structure is selected from the group consisting of towers, poles, buildings, walls, windmills and fences.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein said area is an outdoor area.

16. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing with a light source an area, said area comprising at least one first object bearing hard keratin and second objects bearing no keratin, said light source emitting light in the short wave infrared wavelength region;

(b) sensing with a sensor unit reflected light from said area; and

(c) determining whether hard keratin is present in said area based upon the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object, which spectral characteristic is not found in said second objects, that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin, so as to distinguish at least one first object from said second objects within said area.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one local minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said determination step includes identifying at least one reflectance minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein said determination step includes identifying at least two reflectance minima in the short wave infrared wavelength region that are indicative of the presence of hard keratin, which do not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein said determination step includes identifying at least three reflectance minima in the short wave infrared wavelength region that are indicative of the presence of hard keratin, which do not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

21. A method according to claim 16 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one local maximum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

22. A method according to claim 16 wherein the identification of at least one spectral characteristic in said reflected light from said at least one first object that is indicative of the presence of hard keratin comprises the identification of at least one reflectance minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region, which does not appear in said reflected light from said second objects.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said at least one reflectance minimum in the short wave infrared wavelength region is in the range of from about 1400 nanometers to about 2300 nanometers.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein said determination generates data, and additionally comprising creating a visual display so as to display said at least one first object in said area.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said determination generates data from a scan of said area indicating the presence of said at least one first object in said area and the presence of non-hard keratin objects in said area, and additionally comprising creating a visual display of said area so as to distinguish said at least one first object from said second objects in said area.

26. A method according to claim 25, additionally comprising determining the heat signature of said at least one first object and said second objects in said area, and additionally comprising displaying the heat signature of said at least one first object and said second objects in said area.

27. A method according to claim 16 wherein step (c) includes determining whether feathers are present in said area based upon the identification of at least one spectral characteristic that is indicative of the presence of feathers.

28. A method according to claim 27 additionally comprising the step of:

(d) distinguishing between objects comprising mammalian hair and objects comprising feathers within said region.

29. A method according to claim 16 wherein said area is an outdoor area.