An approach to noninvasively and remotely detect the presence, location, and/or quantity of a target substance in a scene via a spectral imaging system comprising a spectral filter array and image capture array. For a chosen target substance, a spectral filter array is provided that is sensitive to selected wavelengths characterizing the electromagnetic spectrum of the target substance. Elements of the image capture array are optically aligned with elements of the spectral filter array to simultaneously capture spectrally filtered images. These filtered images identify the spectrum of the target substance. Program instructions analyze the acquired images to compute information about the target substance throughout the scene. A color-coded output image may be displayed on a smartphone or computing device to indicate spatial and quantitative information about the detected target substance. The system desirably includes a library of interchangeable spectral filter arrays, each sensitive to one or more target substances.

A carcass cutting system including a belt positioned below a conveyor such as to stabilise a carcass during imaging and/or cutting operations. An offset section of conveyor track in the region of the belt may be utilized to urge the carcass against the belt. Imagining may use an optical imaging system, an X-ray imaging system, a laser scanning camera, a time of flight camera or a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system. Imaging information may be used to calculate cutting paths and/or weight distribution of carcass portions. Cutting may be performed by a robotic cutter using a circular saw or a circular knife.

The present invention is an improved system and method of automatic extraction. The system of automatic extraction includes a processing line, a pan, a bile source, an imaging system, a targeting system, and an extraction tool. The processing line moves one or more pans with one or more bile sources on each pan. An imaging system and targeting system coordinate to target bile sources with an extraction tool using a coordinate system. A method of automatic extraction includes locating a bile source on a coordinate system, targeting the bile source, puncturing the bile source with an extraction tool, extracting bile from a source, and storing the extracted bile.

A method and system of imaging carcasses involves acquiring a first set of multi-view images from respective multiple positions at a first side of a passageway, and a second set of multi-view images from respective multiple positions at a second side of the passageway. The multi-view images are acquired at a first time point upon detection of a carcass at a predetermined position at the passageway. A 3D carcass model is computed from the first and the second set of multi-view images, and is based on a 3D point cloud and/or a polygon surface. An occluded or spatially sparsely represented region locates a first region of the 3D model. The 3D model is manipulated at least at the first region to change the volume or distribution of volume of the 3D model in accordance with a weight registered by a load cell and/or a representation of a carcass suspension position.

A method of processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed, comprises acquiring image data of the food object, cutting the food object into smaller food pieces, determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects, and in case such undesired objects are detected, identifying which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical inspection of the opened abdominal cavity (10) of gutted fish (11), comprising a conveying device (12) configured for conveying the fish (11) along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, pivotable ventral flaps holding elements (17) configured for holding open the abdominal cavity (10) of the fish, at least one optical imaging system (21, 22, 23) arranged along the processing line, said optical imaging system being designed and configured to take at least one sequence of images of abdominal cavity regions of one of the fish (11) in each case, said sequence comprising a plurality of single images, at least one illumination device (24, 25) configured for illuminating the abdominal cavity regions in each case with light of a predetermined spectral composition, in each case at the times the single images are taken, an evaluation unit (26) configured to evaluate the image sequence according to prescribed quality parameters, said evaluation unit being designed to activate an ejection device to remove the relevant fish (11) from the processing line by ejecting it, should the evaluation reveal any deviation from the prescribed quality parameters. The invention further relates to a corresponding method.

An apparatus, designed and configured for optically inspecting articles of the fish and meat processing industry, includes at least one imaging system which is arranged so as to be encapsulated on all sides in a housing and is configured for optically scanning the articles. The housing has a transparent viewing window and a protective element, forming a light-transmissive channel, and is releasably arranged on the outside of the housing to protect the viewing window from contamination. In addition, an arrangement for processing and inspecting the opened abdominal cavity of gutted fish, includes a conveying device configured for conveying the fish along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, which is characterised in that the arrangement comprises at least one apparatus configured for optically inspecting the abdominal cavity.

An apparatus for detecting surface characteristics on food objects conveyed by a conveyor has a first imaging device for capturing two-dimensional image data (2D) and a second imaging device for capturing three-dimensional image data (3D) of a food object. A image processing unit is configured to utilize either the 2D or 3D image data in determining whether a potential defect is present on the surface of the food object. The image processing unit determines a surface position of a potential defect, and utilizes the 2D or 3D image data in determining whether an actual defect is present on the surface of the food object at the indicated surface position. The apparatus has an output unit for outputting defect related data in case both of the 2D and the 3D image data indicate that an actual defect is present on the surface of the food object at the indicated surface position.

The present disclosure relates to a static CT detection device, including: a shielding body, formed with a detection channel through which an object under detection can pass; a ray source, emitting rays for detecting the object under detection when the object under detection passes through the detection channel; and a detector, for acquiring the rays emitted by the ray source and having passed through the detection channel, wherein the shielding body is formed with an opening portion, and the opening portion extends from an inlet of the detection channel to an outlet of the detection channel.

A carcass cutting system including a belt positioned below a conveyor such as to stabilise a carcass during imaging and/or cutting operations. An offset section of conveyor track in the region of the belt may be utilized to urge the carcass against the belt. Imagining may use an optical imaging system, an X-ray imaging system, a laser scanning camera, a time of flight camera or a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system. Imaging information may be used to calculate cutting paths and/or weight distribution of carcass portions. Cutting may be performed by a robotic cutter using a circular saw or a circular knife.