Zeiss Aura Portable Handheld NIR Spectrometer
Key specifications
| Specification | ZEISS AURA |
|---|---|
| Spectral range | 950–1650 nm |
| Detector | 256-element multiplexed InGaAs array |
| Spectrometer | ZEISS PGS polychromator |
| Spectral pixel pitch | ~3 nm |
| Measurement | Diffuse reflectance / direct contact |
| Measuring frequency | ≥1 Hz |
| Light source | Halogen lamp, rated ~20,000 h |
| Measuring spot | Depending on configuration/documentation, approximately 4 × 6 mm or 13.5 mm; verify the specific instrument revision |
| Operating temperature | +5 to +40 °C |
| Protection | IP54 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB |
| Software | ZEISS InProcess |
| Approx. weight | 2.56–2.58 kg, depending on configuration |
| Internal computer | Yes |
| Display | Integrated touchscreen |
The 950–1650 nm spectral range and 256-element InGaAs detector are documented in the ZEISS user documentation.
What can it measure?
AURA is particularly useful where NIR calibration models have been developed for the material being tested. Typical applications include:
- Agriculture: grain, forage, feed and agricultural raw materials
- Food processing: moisture, protein, fat, starch and other quality parameters
- Tobacco: moisture and related constituents
- Ethanol/feedstock: incoming agricultural raw-material assessment
- Raw-material identification
- Incoming inspection and QA/QC
- Finished-product verification
ZEISS specifically describes applications involving moisture, protein, starch, fat, ADF and NDF in feed/forage, as well as agricultural and food-production quality control.
How it works
AURA illuminates the sample with NIR light and measures the reflected spectrum. The spectrum itself is not automatically a direct concentration measurement; chemometric calibration models are used to convert spectral information into predicted parameters such as moisture or protein.
The instrument incorporates internal black/white referencing, an onboard computer and ZEISS InProcess software, allowing measurements and results to be handled directly on the instrument.
Major advantages
Portable: The spectrometer can be taken directly to the material instead of transporting samples to a laboratory.
Non-destructive: NIR analysis can generally be performed without destroying the sample.
Fast: A measurement can be performed in seconds, including internal referencing, depending on the measurement procedure and calibration.
Rugged: IP54 protection and a specified operating range of 5–40 °C make it suitable for many industrial and field environments.
Connected: Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB provide ways to transfer measurement data and connect the instrument to other systems.
Important consideration
The hardware alone does not determine which chemical parameters AURA can accurately report. For quantitative analysis, you need an appropriate calibration model for the specific material, parameter and measurement conditions. This is particularly important if you’re considering AURA for a new application rather than one of the established ZEISS application areas.
Bottom line: ZEISS AURA is essentially a laboratory-style 950–1650 nm NIR analyzer packaged for field/production use, aimed at rapid material identification and quantitative quality measurements without sending every sample back to a laboratory.
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