A detection apparatus is discloses comprising an emitter for emitting a plurality of optical pulses; a detector for receiving the optical pulses from the emitter; and a controller connected to the emitter and the detector, the controller comparing a difference between at least one pulse received at the detector and at least one other pulse received at the detector with a threshold to detect the presence of an object between the emitter and detector. Also discloses is an object processing system, which automatically detects the presence of objects at at least one predetermined location during object processing, comprising an object processing subsystem; and an object detection subsystem communicatively connected to the object processing subsystem. The object detector is particularly useful in medical/pharmaceutical dispensing systems, automated manufacturing and production systems, food processing systems, commercial and industrial food service systems, packaging systems, and a variety of other commercial, industrial, municipal and residential systems, for sensing the presence, absence or flow of various objects or material.