3D spectral analysis — centimeters deep with no physical contact
OA Signal is developing an opto-acoustic scanner to analyze samples, where traditional approaches reach their limits. The technology combines hyper-spectral light excitation with interferometric vibration detection to produce 3-D molecular maps centimeters below material surfaces.
By detecting and analyzing nano‑scale acoustic vibrations produced by optical absorption, our opto-acoustic platform fills critical gaps left by surface cameras, metal detectors, and X-ray scanners.
Spectroscopic Quality & Composition
Evaluating product grade, purity, and anomalies by measuring optical chromophores beneath the surface.
Freshness & Degradation Diagnostics: Evaluating materials and organic products for early-stage decay, aging, or chemical degradation before changes are visible on the surface.
Low-Contrast Anomaly Detection: Flagging hard-to-detect contaminants, such as soft plastics, wood, and cartilage, which exhibit low contrast on density-based X-ray scans.
Sub-Surface Chemical & Molecular Mapping
Volumetric Chemical Mapping: Tracking water, starch, and lipid distribution in 3-D throughout the material volume.
Polymer & Compound Verification: Verifying the uniform distribution of polymers, additives, or dopants in encapsulants and chemical matrices.
Specimen & Sample Analysis:Characterizing molecular indicators and chemical distributions within biological or industrial samples.
Non-destructive Testing (NDT) & Advanced Material Identification
Focused on detecting faults and identifying materials without destroying the product, where traditional physical contact is impossible.
Internal Defect Mapping: Scanning multi-layered polymers, composites, and resin-encapsulated components for micro-cracks or voids.
Contact-Free Acoustic Profiling: Identifying internal mechanical faults without requiring gel, water baths, or physical probes.
Inline Process State Monitoring
Cure & Reaction Tracking: Continuous monitoring of phase changes, polymerizations, or cooking progress in raw materials.
Industrial Batch Verification: Assuring uniform compound reactions across complex industrial mixtures, chemical lines, or food matrices.
Inline inspection limits
Traditional inline inspection methods force a compromise between surface-level visibility, material safety, and physical contact.
- X-ray: Bound by atomic density; blind to low-contrast materials and risks ionizing damage to sensitive compounds.
- Ultrasound: Requires physical contact, water baths, or coupling gels, making inline integration invasive or impossible.
- Machine vision: Limited entirely to the surface; blind to internal chemistry and structural anomalies.
- Sampling & cut tests Provides deep data but destroys the specimen and cannot be performed continuously.
- Non-contact: nothing touches the product, no coupling, no wear.
- Fast volumetric scan: Builds sub-surface 3-D profiles of internal material composition and features.
- Open API + raw signal: drive it from your PLC, pull results into your QC system, bring your own models.
- Multi-wavelength spectroscopy: Distinguishes materials based on molecular light absorption signatures rather than density.
The industry unit, at a glance.
These are design targets for an investigational instrument, not measured results.
Integrate Volumetric Spectroscopy Into Your Process
We are currently selecting pilot partners for industrial, chemical, and food processing applications. Contact us to discuss your specific material imaging requirements.