An egg grasp device is provided. Such a device includes a body and a plurality of elongated members extending from the body. The elongated members are interlaced to form a sheath capable of retaining an egg. The sheath has a distal end and a proximal end at which the elongated members are operably engaged with the body. The elongated members cooperate to define an opening at the distal end through which an egg is received when the elongated members engage and deflect about an egg such that the egg is seated within the sheath. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

Module for operational control of the guided advance/withdrawal device of the needle added to the smart substance injection device on board equipment for inoculating substances inside a fertile egg and smart method for injection inside a fertile egg, wherein the “inoculation of substances” inside a fertile egg, be this into the embryo, in the case of vaccines, and even into the amniotic fluid, in the case of a nutrient or nutritional vaccine complex, allows the injection needle (11) to be brought close at a controlled speed.

Unit for sorting parts moving along a conveyor belt comprising a transfer device (3) which comprises a roller (31) which is rotatably movable above the belt and a plurality of gripping tools (32) at the periphery of the roller which are each capable of selectively removing a part from the belt when the tools are brought into a removal position, each tool comprising a suction cup (321) attached to a tubular support sleeve (322) which is capable of creating a connection between the suction cup and an internal chamber (312) of the roller, said connection being kept at a negative pressure relative to the surrounding air, all of the suction cups which are brought into the removal position being depressurized, each sleeve being mounted so as to be translatably movable along the axis thereof through a wall (311) of the roller, an actuator (34) being designed to selectively control, in the removal position, the movement of the sleeve so that the suction cup engages with the part to be removed.

Unit for sorting parts moving along a conveyor belt comprising a transfer device (3) which comprises a roller (31) which is rotatably movable above the belt and a plurality of gripping tools (32) at the periphery of the roller which are each capable of selectively removing a part from the belt when the tools are brought into a removal position, each tool comprising a suction cup (321) attached to a tubular support sleeve (322) which is capable of creating a connection between the suction cup and an internal chamber (312) of the roller, said connection being kept at a negative pressure relative to the surrounding air, all of the suction cups which are brought into the removal position being depressurized, each sleeve being mounted so as to be translatably movable along the axis thereof through a wall (311) of the roller, an actuator (34) being designed to selectively control, in the removal position, the movement of the sleeve so that the suction cup engages with the part to be removed.

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 transferred to a sample chamber where the captured gas is analyzed.

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 transferred to a sample chamber where the captured gas is analyzed.

Proposed is a technique for performing sexing of a fertilized egg with a high sexing rate at a high speed, based on image data obtained by photographing a contour of the egg. In particular, a fertilized egg sexing method, a fertilized egg sexing apparatus and a program for making a female/male judgment of a fertilized egg according to a contour of the fertilized egg by a computer are proposed. The fertilized egg sexing method includes: extracting the contour based on image data obtained by photographing the fertilized egg at different angles, calculating a short radial from the contour, calculating short radial phase differences corresponding to photographing at the angles, and making a female/male judgment using the short radial phase differences.

Proposed is a technique for performing sexing of a fertilized egg with a high sexing rate at a high speed, based on image data obtained by photographing a contour of the egg. In particular, a fertilized egg sexing method, a fertilized egg sexing apparatus and a program for making a female/male judgment of a fertilized egg according to a contour of the fertilized egg by a computer are proposed. The fertilized egg sexing method includes: extracting the contour based on image data obtained by photographing the fertilized egg at different angles, calculating a short radial from the contour, calculating short radial phase differences corresponding to photographing at the angles, and making a female/male judgment using the short radial phase differences.

An egg grasp device is provided. Such a device includes a body and a plurality of elongated members extending from the body. The elongated members are interlaced to form a sheath capable of retaining an egg. The sheath has a distal end and a proximal end at which the elongated members are operably engaged with the body. The elongated members cooperate to define an opening at the distal end through which an egg is received when the elongated members engage and deflect about an egg such that the egg is seated within the sheath. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

Shown herein is a method of automated noninvasive determining the fertility of a bird's egg (14), comprising the following steps: conveying a plurality of bird eggs (14) sequentially or in parallel into an NMR apparatus (18), subjecting the bird eggs (14) to an NMR measurement, such as to generate a .sub.3-D NMR image of at least a part of each of said eggs (14), said .sub.3-D NMR image having a spatial resolution in at least one dimension of 1.0 mm or less, preferably of 0.50 mm or less, wherein said part of the egg (14) includes the germinal disc of the respective egg (14), determining a prediction of the fertility according to at least one of the following two procedures: (i) deriving at least one feature from each of said .sub.3-D NMR images, and employing said at least one feature in a feature-based classifier for determining a prediction of the fertility, and (ii) using a deep learning algorithm, and in particular a deep learning algorithm based on convolutional neural networks, generative adversarial networks, recurrent neural networks or long short-term memory networks.