In an example embodiment, an improved lighting controller designed to reduce the effects of electromagnetic interference is introduced. The improved lighting controller contains software that acts to filter input lines so that noise is ignored while legitimate pulses coming from sensors are handled. The software filter works by comparing pulse widths of pulses on input lines to an expected pulse width.

A system for performing multi-element analysis in real-time using a multi-element concentration sensor and methods for making and using same. The system can perform an analysis of one or more varieties of samples to provide rapid infield elemental analysis and characterize the samples in real-time. The system can utilize one or more light sources with variable optical capability and variable intensities to emit intense and short pulses of light for ablating matter from a sample target. Advantageously, the system can include a sample preparation module for preparing the sample target prior to application of the light pulses. Interaction of the light pulses with vaporized matter can create an excited plasma plume that can comprise external light source-induced excited plasma sources for allowing a specific optical response resulting from the electronic relaxation of atoms and ions excited by a high plasma temperature to be elicited from matter constituting the sample.