A22B5/007

BEEF CUTTING METHOD AND SYSTEM
20190069563 · 2019-03-07 ·

A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass and identifies an age-indicating indicia. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

Automated Food Preparation and Dispensing
20190069728 · 2019-03-07 ·

The disclosed technology includes a food system that prepares food based on a user's preferences and environment (e.g., health and diet, tastes, availability of food, costs, location, and what is stored or available for the food preparation system). The food system can store, cool, serve, prepare, juice, recognize with an antenna array, cut, weigh, sanitize, or compost food. The food system can include a robotic arm or water jet for cutting a food item. The disclosed technology improves food consumption for users based on diet and observed behavior (e.g., tracking caloric intake and exercise).

Spectral imaging system for remote and noninvasive detection of target substances using spectral filter arrays and image capture arrays
10222260 · 2019-03-05 · ·

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.

Device for optically identifying the sex of a slaughter pig
10165782 · 2019-01-01 · ·

The invention relates to a device for optically identifying the sex of a slaughter pig with a depth camera that has a depth camera acquisition region in which a genital region of the pig and spatial coordinates of pixels are acquired. The spatial coordinates are provided in a transmittable manner and include a positioning device to position the depth camera relative to the genital region of the pig. The device includes an evaluation unit connected to the depth camera. The spatial coordinates are acquired by the evaluation unit to determine a phenotypic sex of the pig.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING WOODY BREAST CONDITION IN BROILERS USING IMAGE ANALYSIS OF CARCASS FEATURES
20180360054 · 2018-12-20 ·

This invention relates generally to a system and method of detecting woody breast using image analysis of carcass features, and more particularly to a real-time system and method of detecting woody breast in broilers using non-destructive and/or non-contact image analysis of carcass features. The system and method assess woody breast in broilers at the fillet level using image analysis of the angle or area associated with the tip of the keel bone and surrounding breast meat of broiler carcasses. The method is configured be incorporated into and utilized by vision grading system.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED FISH PROCESSING
20240276992 · 2024-08-22 · ·

A method for processing a live fish can include: determining a set of fish attributes of a fish, optionally sorting the fish based on the set of fish attributes, euthanizing the fish, exsanguinating the fish, and/or any other suitable steps. In variants, the method can additionally or alternatively include: discarding the fish after sorting, further processing the fish, and/or tracking the fish. However, the method can additionally and/or alternatively include any other suitable elements.

Beef splitting method and system
10117438 · 2018-11-06 · ·

A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass and identifies an age-indicating indicia. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

BEEF SPLITTING METHOD AND SYSTEM
20180153179 · 2018-06-07 ·

A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass and identifies an age-indicating indicia. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

Device and method for the classification of a food item of an organic or irregular structure
09977988 · 2018-05-22 · ·

An apparatus for classifying a food item of organic or irregular structure includes an image capture unit, a data input unit, and a data output unit. An evaluation unit is connected to said image capture unit, to said data input unit and to said data output unit. The image capture unit captures the food item as optical data and provides the optical data in transmittable form for transmission to the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit extracts feature values of the food item from the optical data. The feature values are combined to form a feature value tuple for the food item. The feature value tuple is automatically assignable to a feature value tuple range. The feature value tuple range is formed by one or more feature value tuples. The feature value tuple range is assigned a class. The data input unit is used to perform an assignment of the class to the feature value tuple range.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMART MANUFACTURING

A system and method include a first computer vision system to capture first image data from a product travelling on a first conveyor table in a food processing facility and a second computer vision system to capture second image data from a person working at the first conveyor table to detect a condition associated with the product from the first image data based at least on a variation in texture and/or color in the first image data, detect an actual cycle time associated with the person from the second image data based at least on body positions identified from the second image data, and take action based on the condition and the cycle time.