A structure for growing plants comprising a main support, vertical supports along the perimeter of the foundation, a perimeter frame connected to the vertical supports, cables connected to the main support, vertical supports and perimeter frame, and an inner and outer shell formed from transmissive panels supported by the cables.

A structure for growing plants comprising a main support, vertical supports along the perimeter of the foundation, a perimeter frame connected to the vertical supports, cables connected to the main support, vertical supports and perimeter frame, and an inner and outer shell formed from transmissive panels supported by the cables.

An automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt adjacent to the first conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt moves slightly faster than the first conveyor belt. A rotating size separation tool has slits or pockets, and is located between the first and second conveyor belt. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a backlit conveyor belt. A vision guided robot is arranged adjacent to the backlit conveyor belt. The vision guided robot is provided with a robotic gripper and a vision sensor. At least one scales is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. An arrangement of temporary storage bins is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a container handling system. A computer-based control system is connected to the vision guided robot and to the at least one scales.

A greenhouse screen comprising strips of film material that are interconnected by a yarn system of transverse threads and longitudinal threads by means of knitting, warp-knitting or weaving process to form a continuous product is disclosed. At least some of the strips comprise a film material in the form of a single- or multilayer polyester film wherein the film contains at least 1.0 wt.-% SiO.sub.2 and a maximum of 2.5 wt.-% SiO.sub.2, and has a spreading factor of at least 2 and not more than 8. The greenhouse screen as disclosed herein has a reduced flammability and light scattering properties particularly suited for greenhouse applications.

Automated pickup and laydown systems for an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture that includes vertical grow towers. Some implementations of the invention can be used to create a horizontal-to-vertical interface between a vertical grow structure that includes vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, and a central processing system that processes (for example, harvests, cleans, transplants, etc.) the grow towers.

A cover, and more particularly, a portable modular cover that may be assembled outdoors to keep insects and/or the elements from contacting food or other items spread out across small or large areas, and that may also be disassembled for ease of storage and transport, is disclosed. The portable modular cover provides solutions for protecting such food or other items through separate embodiments that are lightweight, durable, easy to assemble, and easy to travel with for virtually any occasion. When disassembled, the portable modular cover can easily fit within any suitable carrying case for ease of transport. Assembling the components together can be done on the fly at any outdoor event without requiring extraneous tools such as wrenches or screwdrivers. Opening and closing the portable modular cover can be done quickly and with ease to minimize exposure of food or other contents when accessing. Other optional accessories such as internal light fixtures can accommodate its use at evening outdoor events.

A cart having a wheel and a cart-computing device communicatively coupled to the wheel, where the cart-computing device receives an electrical signal via the wheel. The electrical signal comprises a communication signal and electrical power. The communication signal corresponds to one or more instructions for controlling an operation of the cart and the electrical power of the electrical signal powers the cart-computing device.

The darkening screen comprises two fabrics, namely a first fabric (10) which comprises in machining direction first strips of film material and first threads (2) in between the first strips, and a second fabric (11) which comprises in machining direction second strips of film material and second threads (6) in between the second strips. The first (2) and the second threads (6) of the first (10) and the second fabric (11) have water transporting capacity. In order to obtain improved moisture transporting properties whilst maintaining a low hemispherical light transmission the first threads (2) are aligned with said second threads (6) and are situated, in a direction perpendicular to said first (10) and second fabric (11), opposite to said second threads (6) to form pairs of first and second threads. In a number of these pairs the first thread (2) is connected at different locations by cross-connections (16) to the second thread (6), more particularly by means of a first yarn (4) of the first fabric which extends in the cross-machining direction, to thereby fix the first fabric (10) to the second fabric (11). The cross-connections (16) preferably hold the first threads (2) at least at the location of the cross-connections (16) against the second threads (6).

The darkening screen comprises two fabrics, namely a first fabric (10) which comprises in machining direction first strips of film material and first threads (2) in between the first strips, and a second fabric (11) which comprises in machining direction second strips of film material and second threads (6) in between the second strips. The first (2) and the second threads (6) of the first (10) and the second fabric (11) have water transporting capacity. In order to obtain improved moisture transporting properties whilst maintaining a low hemispherical light transmission the first threads (2) are aligned with said second threads (6) and are situated, in a direction perpendicular to said first (10) and second fabric (11), opposite to said second threads (6) to form pairs of first and second threads. In a number of these pairs the first thread (2) is connected at different locations by cross-connections (16) to the second thread (6), more particularly by means of a first yarn (4) of the first fabric which extends in the cross-machining direction, to thereby fix the first fabric (10) to the second fabric (11). The cross-connections (16) preferably hold the first threads (2) at least at the location of the cross-connections (16) against the second threads (6).