An object processing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of track sections, and a plurality of remotely actuatable carriers for controlled movement along at least portions of the plurality of track sections, wherein each of the remotely controllable carriers is adapted to support and transport an object processing bin.

In a sorting method and a sorting device, articles are sorted and identified in multiple stages and are discharged from the sorting lines in a manner backed up in multiple sorting lines.

An order processing system, such as may be used in a high-volume pharmacy, may include a material handling system, an accumulator, and a packing device. The material handling system may move containers through a plurality of container paths. The container sorting device may receive the containers, scan the plurality of containers to detect container identifiers, and separate the containers based on the container identifiers to travel through a first container exit path or a second container exit path. The accumulator may accumulate containers that traveled through the first container exit path and the second container exit path. The accumulator may include an accumulator scanning device for scanning the containers to detect the container identifiers. The accumulator may group the containers together based on the detected container identifiers and orders, and provide the grouped containers. The packing device may package the grouped containers along with literature associated with the orders.

A method and apparatus are provided for sorting items to a plurality of sort destinations. The items are fed into the apparatus at an input station having a scanning station. The scanning station evaluates one or more characteristics of each item. The items are then loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles are individually driven to sort destinations. Once at the appropriate sort destination, the delivery vehicle ejects the item to the sort destination and returns to receive another item to be delivered. A re-induction conveyor may be provided for receiving select items from the vehicles and conveying the items back to the input station for re-processing. Additionally, a controller is provided to control the movement of the vehicles based on a characteristic each item being delivered by each vehicle.

An automated carrier system is disclosed for moving objects to be processed. The automated carrier system includes a discontinuous plurality of track sections on which an automated carrier may be directed to move, and the automated carrier includes a base structure on which an object may be supported, and at least two wheels assemblies being pivotally supported on the base structure for pivoting movement from a first position to a second position to effect a change in direction of movement of the carrier.

A textile recycling method receives textile-waste-to-be-recycled, sorts the waste to isolate cellulose-containing articles from non-cellulose-containing articles, and re-sizes at least some of the cellulose-containing articles to create feedstock. The feedstock is processed in a cellulose solvent reactor, which has at least one ionic liquid. The ionic liquid dissolves intermolecular cellulose bonds of the feedstock to create a spinning dope. Cellulose fibers dissolved in the cellulose-bearing spinning dope solution are extruded in a cellulose coagulation bath reservoir to reconstitute at least some of the cellulose fibers, and the reconstituted fibers are wet-spun to form a continuous cellulose thread that is commercially indistinguishable from virgin fiber thread. Synthetic fiber material is vacuum-extracted or mechanically extracted from the cellulose-bearing solution and recycled into a continuous synthetic thread. Original color of textile-waste-to-be-recycled can be retained or removed, and new color can be added.

Disclosed is a system for sorting copper-bearing ore to select portions having a desired target copper content. The system includes a first magnetic resonance analyzer for measuring the copper content of ore input into the system and a controller that controls a diverter to divert portions of the input ore to a collection path when the copper content meets or exceeds a predetermined cut-off value. The system also includes a second magnetic resonance analyzer to measure the copper content of the ore in the collection path. The measurements are then fed back to the controller where the controller can adjust the predetermined cut-off value above, up or down, to optimize the yield of ore with the targeted copper content.

An automated carrier system is disclosed for moving objects to be processed. The automated carrier system includes a discontinuous plurality of track sections on which an automated carrier may be directed to move, and the automated carrier includes a base structure on which an object may be supported, and at least two wheels assemblies being pivotally supported on the base structure for pivoting movement from a first position to a second position to effect a change in direction of movement of the carrier.

Provided are a sorting vehicle, a goods sorting system and a goods sorting method. The sorting vehicle includes a vehicle body, a belt-type conveying mechanism, an enclosing mechanism and a processor. The belt-type conveying mechanism includes a roller-type drive mechanism disposed on the vehicle body and an endless conveyor belt disposed on a roller of the roller-type drive mechanism. The moving direction of the endless conveyor belt is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle body. The enclosing mechanism is partially or entirely disposed on the endless conveyor belt, and is configured to form at least one enclosing region above the vehicle body. The processor is configured to control the roller-type drive mechanism to drive the endless conveyor belt to move a preset distance to complete unloading of the goods within the enclosing region; and control the roller-type drive mechanism to complete resetting of the enclosing region.

A cell sorting system that automatically generates a sorting strategy based on examples of target events provided by an operator. The target events can be selected using measurements ranging from traditional flow cytometry measurements to derived measurements that are computationally expensive to complex measurements such as images.