Scale experts at Fraunhofer Institute for Information and Data Processing (IITB) in Germany have invented new self-service retail weighing scales which can automatically recognise which type of fruit and veg have been placed onto them.

These scales use an onboard camera to take an image of the produce placed onto it. The image is then compared against other images that the vegetable scale already has stored within its own database to help identify the produce.

Customers are then shown additional options on the scales touch-screen, if further distinguish between different varieties of tomatoes, oranges or apples are required.

The German researchers are confident that their scales for retail will accurately distinguish between the various shapes, colours and ripeness stages of all the vegetables and fruits currently available in shops.

Sascha Voth, Lead Scientist from IITB suggests that plastic packaging that may surrond the vegetables will not hinder the performance of their shop scale, he says, "Even the cloudy plastic bags in which the fruit may be packaged at the counter are no problem for the scales".

These retail weighing scales are currently being trialled in 300 supermarkets throughout Europe.

Labels: retail, scale

Inaccurate baggage scales are costing passengers £70 in access baggage fees according to West Sussex Trading Standards.

After examining 600 baggage scales at Gatwick Airport, more than 20% were discovered to be faulty and supplying incorrect baggage weight results. In many instances, luggage scales were displaying 5 kilograms prior to baggage being placed onto the scales.

Bruce Treloar, Principal Trading Standards Officer, said "we advise people to try and weigh the baggage at home. Bathroom scales may not be perfectly accurate but they will give an idea.”

“At the check-in desk, check the scales are on zero. If they already show a weight ask the check-in staff to put them on zero.”

“This is quite simple. It just means pushing a button. If the indications don’t change when the button is pushed it may mean a fault with the scales – and we in Trading Standards want you to tell us about it.”

Airline Baggage Allowance :

• Ryanair 15kgs
• Flybe 20 kg
• Easyjet 20 kg
• Monarch 32kg
• British Airways 23kg

Airline Baggage Excess Charges :

• Ryanair £7.50 per kg
• Flybe £6 per kg
• Easyjet £6 per kg

Labels: airport, baggage, luggage

Medical scales are frequently used to weigh patients in hospitals, orthopaedic, rehabilitation, dialysis and many other healthcare departments. Often used by medical professionals, medical scales are used to analyse and evaluate medical symptoms of patients, due to the scales superior of accuracy.

Whilst using medical scales it's important that simple steps are followed to ensure that the weighing equipment provides the most accurate measurement and that no obstructions prevent inaccurate readings.

Medical Weighing Scales : Correct Preparation

1. Check the medical scales are correctly calibrated - prior to use.
2. Make certain that the weighing platform doesn't rest on a wall, book or any fixed objects.
3. Be sure that the medical scales are set to zero prior to placing anything onto them.
4. Whenever using a weighing pan check that it is not included in the measurement by pressing the 'zero' key, when the pan is on top of the weighing scales.
5. If the patient is clothed, remember this will affect the final weight outcome.
6. Make sure that the patients feet don't touch on the floor or their arms are not leaning against any fixtures.
7. If monitoring on a regular basis make sure the patient wears similar clothing at each weighing session.
8. Do not weigh babies or small children on medical scales designed specifically for adult use.

Medical Weighing Scales: Popular Uses

• Baby Scales - Designed for both safety and performance. Class III approved baby scales are extremely accurate for measuring mothers breast milk and the weight of babies. Baby scales are practical for monitoring a babies rate of growth on a regular basis and are frequently utilised in hospitals, doctor surgeries, and homes - wherever parents wish to on a regular basis weigh their newborn baby or infant.

• Wheelchair scales - Often used in hospital wards, orthopaedic departments, rehabilitation, dialysis centres or at nursing homes where patients are immobilised or confined in a wheelchair. These scales are designed to make weight supervision comfier for the wheelchair user and provide the health care professional with a less complicated method of measuring accurate results.

To maintain the accuracy and reliability of all medical scales, it's important that they're calibrated on a regular basis by an approved scale calibration specialist.

Labels: baby, hospital, medical, scales, wheelchair

The Department of Health has issued a recent warning to highlight potential dangers of weighing patients and medication on incorrectly calibrated scales.

Following an audit of several NHS organisations by LACORS, (The Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services). Say that many hospitals were using incorrectly calibrated weighing scales for weighing patients or medication. Hospital staff were also observed using inappropriate weighing scales, unsuitable for medical applications.

As a result of these findings, NHS organisations are being warned to ensure that patient weighing scales are regularly maintained and calibrated, and that they have a procedure in place to check the accuracy of their weighing equipment.

The following two types of weighing scales are used in hospitals and NHS organisations:

• Class III – accurate scales used for weighing medication, babies and monitoring purposes.

• Class IIII – less accurate, domestic type scales. Should only be used for checking a patient’s weight in a GP consulting room.

Important points to remember:

• Class IIII scales are NOT recommended for weighing medication, treatment, diagnosis or monitoring and should be replaced with more accurate Class III type scales.

• Weighing equipment that provides incorrect readings should be removed from use and re-calibrated.

Labels: hospital, medical, nhs, patient, scales