Disclosed herein is a system to detect and characterize individual particles and cells using at least either optic or electric detection as the particle or cell flows through a microfluidic channel. The system also provides for sorting particles and cells or isolating individual particles and cells.

Included are a chute arranged in an inclined manner to allow sorting targets to flow downward, optical detection means for detecting the sorting targets at a detection position, and ejector means for sorting and removing the sorting targets based on a result of detection of the optical detection means. The chute is provided with an optical detection slit in a direction orthogonal to a flow-down direction of the sorting targets, a slit width of the optical detection slit is adjustable, and the optical detection means images the sorting targets flowing downward on the chute with the imaging means at a position where the optical detection slit is provided as the detection position.

An optical sorter includes an intermittent light source configured to intermittently emit light toward a plurality of sorting targets in transit, an optical sensor configured to detect the light associated with one sorting target among the plurality of sorting targets in transit during a plurality of intermittent light scan periods, a determination part configured to determine a foreign object and/or a defective product with respect to the one sorting target based on a signal acquired by the optical sensor, and a light source control part configured to control the intermittent light source. The light source control part is configured to control the intermittent light source in such a manner that, in a case where the intermittent light source is turned on during at least one intermittent light scan period among the plurality of intermittent light scan periods, a lighting period during which the intermittent light source is on and a non-lighting period during which the intermittent light source is off are provided and the lighting period is started at a timing delayed behind a start of the at least one intermittent light scan period in each of the at least one intermittent light scan period.

A method and a sorting plant for sorting out mineral-containing objects or plastic objects from a single layer material stream is shown. Here it is provided that objects (12) of the material stream are irradiated with stimulating light and the resulting fluorescent light is detected in the form of an image of the fluorescent points, the objects of the material stream are irradiated with object detection light outside the fluorescent light, and the transmitted light after passage between the objects or the reflected light of the objects is detected in the form of an image of the individual objects, an object is then defined as containing at least one specific mineral or one specific plastic if the fluorescent light of said object lies in a predetermined intensity range for at least one predetermined wavelength range, and the so defined objects are separated from other objects of the material stream.

Various examples of a system for peanut sorting and grading are disclosed herein. The system for grading peanut maturity, can include: a sample feeder configured to supply individual peanuts to an imaging area; a sorting board comprising a plurality of chutes and a plurality of gates, each chute of the plurality of chutes designated for a grade of peanut; and program instructions to obtain the digital image of the individual peanut; determine the grade of the individual peanut; and sort the individual peanut based on the grade of the individual peanut. A method for grading peanut maturity, can include feeding an individual peanut to an imaging area; obtaining a digital image of the individual peanut; determining a grade of the individual peanut based on an average color; and sorting the individual peanut in a chute of a sorting board based on the grade of the individual peanut.

Provided is an optical sorter including a chute arranged in an inclined manner such that objects to be sorted flow down, an optical detecting unit configured to detect the objects to be sorted at a detection position, and an ejector unit configured to sort and remove the objects to be sorted based on a result of detection obtained by the optical detecting unit. The optical detecting unit includes an illuminating unit configured to illuminate the detection position, and an imaging unit configured to image the objects to be sorted at the detection position. The chute is provided with an optical detection slit orthogonally crossing a flowing down direction of the objects to be sorted. The optical detecting unit images the objects to be sorted flowing down on the chute with the imaging unit using a position at which the optical detection slit is provided as the detection position.

A system for sorting seeds based on their resistance to a stress is disclosed. Batches of purified seeds sorted using the system are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a prophylactic article, especially of a glove, from a (carboxylated) diene rubber, according to which a layer of a (carboxylated) diene latex is applied on a former and the (carboxylated) diene latex is cross-linked with a cross-linking agent, which is immobilized on inorganic and/or organic particles with formation of modified particles, and the modified particles are added to the (carboxylated) diene latex.

Grain sorting process and apparatus (1) includes a grain infeed chute (2) for delivery of bulk cereal grain into the apparatus (1) past an in-line measurement station (3) which analyses selected parameters of grain delivered through the infeed chute (2). The grain infeed chute (2) discharges onto a horizontal grain sorting conveyor (4) which discharges the grain into storage silos (5, 6) in response to one or more measured parameters of the grain determined at the measurement station (3). The measurement station (3) has a sensor unit (7) which includes a near-infrared light source for emitting light onto grain delivered through the grain infeed chute (2) or through the grain sorting conveyor (4). The light is reflected from the grain and reflected light is detected by the sensor (7) to provide a spectrum of the grain. A spectrometer (8) connected to the sensor unit (7) converts the spectrum into one or more corresponding preselected grain parameter values. The grain parameter values generated by the spectrometer (8) are delivered to a controller (9). The controller (9) then controls operation of the sorting conveyor (4) in response to the measured grain parameter values to deliver the cereal grain into a storage silo (5, 6) having a grain parameter corresponding to the measured grain parameter.

Method for sorting corn kernels of a batch of corn kernels, the method comprising the steps of: laying the corn kernel on a support surface, the corn kernel having a resting surface in contact with the support surface, and an upper surface opposite the resting surface, acquiring at least one orientation image of the corn kernel with an orientation imaging system, the orientation imaging system having a modality adapted to enable structural features of the corn kernel to be measured, determining an orientation of the corn kernel with respect to the support surface based on the structural features of the corn kernel measured on the orientation image, sorting the corn kernel as a function of the orientation.