The present disclosure relates to a computer-controlled system for non-invasively identifying the location of the air cell of an egg and determining a preferred extraction point relative to the position of the air cell of the egg, the system having an egg manipulator to hold and orient one or more eggs in a defined position; a candling unit with one or more light sources and one or more detectors; a system configured to run an algorithm for determining the location of the air cell and the preferred extraction point; and a system for positioning the egg relative to an extractor or an egg opener or vice versa from their initial position to the preferred extraction point.

An apparatus for interrogating a media to be analyzed, such as an avian egg, is provided. Such an apparatus includes an emitter assembly configured to emit light toward a media. The emitter assembly has a first emitter source configured to emit a first light signal and a second emitter source configured to emit a second light signal. The first and second light signals are transmitted through the media in phase quadrature. A detector assembly is configured to detect the first and second light signals transmitted through the media. The detector assembly is further configured to resolve a relative or absolute amplitude of each of the first and second light signals. A processor is configured to process the detected signal to identify a property of the media using at least one of the relative and absolute amplitudes of the first and second light signals. An associated method is also provided.

Method for processing a plurality of avian eggs, in particular unfertilized eggs, including:conveying at least a first egg (E1) having a first eggshell color and a second egg (E2) having a second egg shell color along a conveying path, the first egg shell color being different from the second egg shell color; illuminating the first egg (E1) with an illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E1) and is detected by a near infrared light detector (5); illuminating the second egg (E2) with the illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E2) and is detected by the near infrared light detector (5); processing light detection results of the infrared light detector (5) for determining a condition of the shell of each of the eggs (E1, E2); wherein the illuminating of the eggs (E1, E2) and/or the detection of transmitted light is carried out under substantially the same illumination and/or detection conditions, respectively.

An egg identification system for determining viability of an avian egg is provided. Such a system includes an emitter assembly configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward an egg. A detector assembly is axially aligned with the emitter assembly to detect electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the egg. The detector assembly is spaced-apart from the egg during operation thereof such that the detector assembly does not contact the egg. The detected electromagnetic radiation is used to generate an output signal. The output signal is processed to determine whether there exists a periodic variation or an aperiodic perturbation in an intensity of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the egg corresponding to action of a heart or embryo movement, wherein the existence of the periodic variation or aperiodic perturbation indicates that the egg is viable. An associated method is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a device for delivering substances to specific embryonic structures, including heart and blood vessels, within a developing avian egg. The disclosure also relates to methods of using the device to produce enhanced avian embryos. Methods include administering to chicken embryos various substances, including vaccines, nutrients, and stem cells. Chickens resulting from enhanced avian embryos have advantages, including greater growth potential and resistance to pathogen infection/infestation.

A non-invasive device for determining the fertility and/or sex of an egg. This device obtains a spectral response, specific to the shell, to an incident light signal. The device has a focusing element configured to focus the incident light signal on a surface portion and/or an internal portion of at least one layer of the shell, and elements for determining the fertility and/or sex of the egg as a function of the spectral response specific to the shell.

The present invention relates to a method and device for automatically inspecting one or more eggs contactlessly. According to the invention, the following steps are carried out: a) a millimeter-wave radio-frequency signal is transmitted by a transmitter towards an egg, b) a millimeter-wave radio-frequency signal reflected by said egg is detected by means of a sensor (14), said sensor (14) being placed at distance from said egg, c) the intensity of the reflected millimeter-wave radio-frequency signal is analyzed as a function of the distance traveled by the reflected signal and the radar echo thus obtained is compared with one or more reference radar echoes each representative of one egg state, so as to deduce the egg's current state therefrom.

A method and system are presented for use in examining an egg by monitoring radiation response from the egg during an incubation period. The monitoring comprises analyzing measured data indicative of the radiation response from the egg being detected at different time intervals of an incubation period, identifying predetermined dynamics in intensity variations of said radiation response during the different time intervals, and identifying in different time intervals presence of an alive embryo in said egg, and development stages and age of the embryo being developed.

The present disclosure relates to a computer-controlled system for non-invasively identifying the location of the air cell of an egg and determining a preferred extraction point relative to the position of the air cell of the egg, the system having an egg manipulator to hold and orient one or more eggs in a defined position: a candling unit with one or more light sources and one or more detectors; a system configured to run an algorithm for determining the location of the air cell and the preferred extraction point: and a system for positioning the egg relative to an extractor or an egg opener or vice versa from their initial position to the preferred extraction point.

An egg identification system for determining viability of an avian egg is provided. Such a system includes an emitter assembly configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward an egg. A detector assembly is axially aligned with the emitter assembly to detect electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the egg. The detector assembly is spaced-apart from the egg during operation thereof such that the detector assembly does not contact the egg. The detected electromagnetic radiation is processed using transmission spectroscopy analysis to determine whether the egg is viable. An associated method is also provided.