An apparatus and method for depositing flowable material comprising a chamber housing that receives and deposits flowable material, a rotary valve shaft and a piston shaft inside the chamber housing, the piston shaft rotatable in synchronization with the rotary valve shaft, wherein the piston shaft and the rotary valve shaft form a volumetric pocket to receive the flowable material, wherein the piston shaft rotates between a position that expands the volumetric pocket to draw the flowable material into the volumetric pocket, and a position that compresses the volumetric pocket to urge flowable material from the volumetric pocket.

An apparatus and method for depositing flowable material comprising a chamber housing that receives and deposits flowable material, a rotary valve shaft and a piston shaft inside the chamber housing, the piston shaft rotatable in synchronization with the rotary valve shaft, wherein the piston shaft and the rotary valve shaft form a volumetric pocket to receive the flowable material, wherein the piston shaft rotates between a position that expands the volumetric pocket to draw the flowable material into the volumetric pocket, and a position that compresses the volumetric pocket to urge flowable material from the volumetric pocket.

Provide is edible oil-encapsulating microcapsules having a core portion containing edible oil or fat having a melting point of 30° C. or less, and a shell portion encapsulating the core portion and containing an edible and ionically cross-linkable polymer that is cross-linked with a polyvalent cation in which a number average particle diameter is 10 μm or more and 300 μm or less, and a coefficient of variation of the number average particle diameter is 30% or less, a dispersion liquid of the edible oil-encapsulating microcapsules, a manufacturing method of the edible oil-encapsulating microcapsules, and meat substitute.

Provided is a method for producing a food including: a step of mixing a component (A) below, which is one or two selected from the group consisting of a component (A1) and a component (A2), with a food material to obtain a mixture for an outer layer; a step of mixing a food material to obtain a mixture for an inner layer; and a step of wrapping the mixture for an inner layer with the mixture for an outer layer to obtain a food composition. The component (A1) is a starch composition satisfying conditions of (1) to (3): (1) a starch content is equal to or more than 75% by mass; (2) molecular weight-reduced starch of starch having an amylose content of equal to or more than 5% by mass is contained in an amount of equal to or more than 3% by mass and equal to or less than 45% by mass, and a peak molecular weight of the molecular weight-reduced starch is equal to or more than 3×10.sup.3 and equal to or less than 5×10.sup.4; and (3) a degree of swelling in cold water at 25° C. is equal to or more than 5 and equal to or less than 20, and the component (A2) is pregelatinized starch.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a land vehicle conveyance system, a sensor system configured to capture information including surrounding environment information and/or vehicle subsystem information, a communication system configured to communicate with a remote human operator management system, at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor(s), cause the autonomous robot land vehicle to, autonomously, determine based on the captured information to request a remote human operator, and communicate a request to the remote human operator management system for a remote human operator to assume control of the land vehicle conveyance system, where the request includes at least a portion of the captured information.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a land vehicle conveyance system, a sensor system configured to capture information including surrounding environment information and/or vehicle subsystem information, a communication system configured to communicate with a remote human operator management system, at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor(s), cause the autonomous robot land vehicle to, autonomously, determine based on the captured information to request a remote human operator, and communicate a request to the remote human operator management system for a remote human operator to assume control of the land vehicle conveyance system, where the request includes at least a portion of the captured information.

Provided is a liquid system comprising a first component and a second component the components selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, food grade acids, food grade non-aqueous solvents and food grade salts wherein: a. the second component is different than the first component; b. the system has a melting point lower than each of the components; and c. the liquid system comprises 7% or less water. The systems are useful for protecting an active ingredient in a food system wherein the ingredient is stable at room temperature and retains its sensory properties after being diluted into an aqueous beverage for example to form a flavored aqueous beverage.

Provided is a liquid system comprising a first component and a second component the components selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, food grade acids, food grade non-aqueous solvents and food grade salts wherein: a. the second component is different than the first component; b. the system has a melting point lower than each of the components; and c. the liquid system comprises 7% or less water. The systems are useful for protecting an active ingredient in a food system wherein the ingredient is stable at room temperature and retains its sensory properties after being diluted into an aqueous beverage for example to form a flavored aqueous beverage.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system and a compartment coupled to the conveyance system. The conveyance system autonomously drives the autonomous robotic vehicle between one or more storage locations and one or more delivery locations. The compartment receives one or more items stored at the one more storage locations. The compartment includes a temperature control module configured to maintain the compartment within a predetermined temperature range to provide temperature control for the one or more items as the conveyance system drives between the one or more storage locations and the one or more delivery locations.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system and a compartment coupled to the conveyance system. The conveyance system autonomously drives the autonomous robotic vehicle between one or more storage locations and one or more delivery locations. The compartment receives one or more items stored at the one more storage locations. The compartment includes a temperature control module configured to maintain the compartment within a predetermined temperature range to provide temperature control for the one or more items as the conveyance system drives between the one or more storage locations and the one or more delivery locations.