A system for determining the gender and/or fertility status of avian eggs including a sampling apparatus and an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and detector. In certain embodiments, the transmitter operates in the terahertz range. The sampling apparatus can be coupled to an avian egg. The sampling apparatus includes a vacuum source, a gas collection device, and a membrane that can be positioned in the passageway coupling the vacuum source to the gas collection device. The membrane is capable of capturing volatile organic compounds. The sampling apparatus applies a vacuum from the vacuum source to the gas proximate to the avian egg and directs the gas captured from the vicinity of the egg toward the membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is positioned within the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter, generating a spectrum which can be analyzed to determine whether the egg is fertile or infertile, and if fertile, whether the egg is male or female. In an embodiment, the captured volatile organic compounds are

A system for determining the gender and/or fertility status of avian eggs including a sampling apparatus and an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and detector. In certain embodiments, the transmitter operates in the terahertz range. The sampling apparatus can be coupled to an avian egg. The sampling apparatus includes a vacuum source, a gas collection device, and a membrane that can be positioned in the passageway coupling the vacuum source to the gas collection device. The membrane is capable of capturing volatile organic compounds. The sampling apparatus applies a vacuum from the vacuum source to the gas proximate to the avian egg and directs the gas captured from the vicinity of the egg toward the membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is positioned within the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter, generating a spectrum which can be analyzed to determine whether the egg is fertile or infertile, and if fertile, whether the egg is male or female. In an embodiment, the captured volatile organic compounds are

A turbidity sensor featuring a signal processor or processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about light reflected off suspended matter in a liquid and sensed by a linear sensor array having rows and columns of optical elements; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a concentration of turbidity of the liquid, based upon the signaling received.

A turbidity sensor featuring a signal processor or processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about light reflected off suspended matter in a liquid and sensed by a linear sensor array having rows and columns of optical elements; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a concentration of turbidity of the liquid, based upon the signaling received.

The present invention relates to a method for non-destructively identifying a characteristic of a Gallus Gallus domesticus embryo in ovo, the method comprising: (a) obtaining a sample of material associated with an egg comprising the embryo, and (b) measuring a score value for the presence of, and concentration of at least a first biomarker in the sample indicative of the characteristic of the embryo, and (c) applying a threshold to the score value and concentration obtained in (b) to identify the characteristic for the embryo associated with the presence and concentration of the biomarker, wherein an at least first biomarker comprises an amino compound having a molecular weight in the range of from 140 to 190 g/mole, wherein step (c) further comprises: (i) correlating each relevant biomarker signal with a reference biomarker by matching the spectrum of each correlating signal with the expected spectrum of the correlating reference biomarker using a similarity measure, to define at least one positively correlating signal; (ii) measuring the intensity of each positively correlating signal and scoring its absolute and/or relative signal intensity; and (iii) applying a threshold to the score value obtained from a similarity function to determine the correlated embryo characteristic.

The present invention relates to a method for non-destructively identifying a characteristic of a Gallus Gallus domesticus embryo in ovo, the method comprising: (a) obtaining a sample of material associated with an egg comprising the embryo, and (b) measuring a score value for the presence of, and concentration of at least a first biomarker in the sample indicative of the characteristic of the embryo, and (c) applying a threshold to the score value and concentration obtained in (b) to identify the characteristic for the embryo associated with the presence and concentration of the biomarker, wherein an at least first biomarker comprises an amino compound having a molecular weight in the range of from 140 to 190 g/mole, wherein step (c) further comprises: (i) correlating each relevant biomarker signal with a reference biomarker by matching the spectrum of each correlating signal with the expected spectrum of the correlating reference biomarker using a similarity measure, to define at least one positively correlating signal; (ii) measuring the intensity of each positively correlating signal and scoring its absolute and/or relative signal intensity; and (iii) applying a threshold to the score value obtained from a similarity function to determine the correlated embryo characteristic.

The invention relates to the fields of process engineering and agriculture and relates to a method for in-ovo fertilisation determination and gender determination on a closed egg. The aim of the invention is to specify a method for the in-ovo fertilisation determination and gender determination on a closed egg. This aim is achieved by a method in which a closed egg is positioned, candled and/or illuminated, next an image of the closed egg is recorded, then the captured data are evaluated and the position of the cardiovascular system located in the egg is calculated. A detection unit is adjusted via the calculated position of the cardiovascular system by means of a positioning unit and subsequently the blood is stimulated, then the blood-specific and blood-foreign absorption spectra are detected and selected, the fertilisation is ascertained and then the spectra containing blood-foreign information are compensated by a compensation method and the spectra are classified for sex determination.

The invention relates to the fields of process engineering and agriculture and relates to a method for in-ovo fertilisation determination and gender determination on a closed egg. The aim of the invention is to specify a method for the in-ovo fertilisation determination and gender determination on a closed egg. This aim is achieved by a method in which a closed egg is positioned, candled and/or illuminated, next an image of the closed egg is recorded, then the captured data are evaluated and the position of the cardiovascular system located in the egg is calculated. A detection unit is adjusted via the calculated position of the cardiovascular system by means of a positioning unit and subsequently the blood is stimulated, then the blood-specific and blood-foreign absorption spectra are detected and selected, the fertilisation is ascertained and then the spectra containing blood-foreign information are compensated by a compensation method and the spectra are classified for sex determination.

An egg-examining device, comprising a sampling device, by which a liquid sample to be taken can be taken from an egg of a rack loaded with eggs, a feeding device for feeding the rack loaded with eggs to the sampling device, and a control unit, by which the feeding device and the sampling device can be controlled. The feeding device feeds the rack to the sampling device at an oblique angle of between 20 and 80 to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. A lifting-out device is provided, by which the egg can be lifted out of the rack and by which the egg can be put into a sampling position, in which the liquid amount to be taken can be taken from the egg by the sampling device.

An egg-examining device, comprising a sampling device, by which a liquid sample to be taken can be taken from an egg of a rack loaded with eggs, a feeding device for feeding the rack loaded with eggs to the sampling device, and a control unit, by which the feeding device and the sampling device can be controlled. The feeding device feeds the rack to the sampling device at an oblique angle of between 20 and 80 to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. A lifting-out device is provided, by which the egg can be lifted out of the rack and by which the egg can be put into a sampling position, in which the liquid amount to be taken can be taken from the egg by the sampling device.