Abstract: In the long-term space human living environment, the biological wastes from human, animals, and plants can be fully digested and recycled by rearing six kinds of recycling animals which will be nourishing feed stuff for feeding edible animals. These edible animals and their eggs combined with space plants will be various food for human. Water and nutrition left in the residues after rearing these feedstuff recycling animals can be recycled and used to fertilize plants. All the animals and plants can be solidly reared in same cabin on the shelf with high densities in boxes, cages, trays and tanks which are all in minimum volume and weight. It is the basis for realizing mini space farm which provides a self-sufficient food regenerative system that enable humans to live and work in space independent of food supply from earth.

Abstract: A fish farming plant is adapted for floating in free water. The plant comprises a substantially vertical inlet pipe and a corresponding outlet pipe for taking in and discharging water, respectively, at a water depth having the desired water quality at a depth (h). A substantially horizontal residential compartment of an accommodation assembly has an inlet end and an outlet end. Lattices are provided at the inlet end and the outlet end. Also provided at the ends are angled end sections for connecting the inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and the residential compartment. The plant also comprises at least one arrangement for providing water flow through the residential compartment. A module for a residential compartment of a fish farming plant, a method for manufacturing an accommodation assembly, use of such a fish farming plant for smolt, as well as a method for emptying such a fish farming plant are also provided.

Abstract: A animal restraint adjustable harness having a two part pivotable frame having a set of fingers or arms extended therefrom to encircle or saddle an animal body, a spring hinge to force the fingers together, tabs or opening handles to separate the fingers, one or more harness straps, and a leash clip positioned thereon the frame and, thus such harness enables a single person to quickly and/or efficiently place the harness assembly on the animal using one hand and such harness enables safe restraint of the animal without causing the animal to choke or wheeze.

Abstract: A grooming device is provided, including a brush base including a plurality of bristles disposed about a periphery of the base and at least one base latch for securing a biased platform such that the platform reciprocates relative to the base. The biased platform has at least one platform latch for securing the biased platform to the brush base by interconnecting the brush base latch with the biased platform latch, the at least one platform latch accommodating the reciprocating action. The platform is configured for accommodating at least one wipe for applying a solution to a target substrate.

Abstract: An automated seed sampler system includes an imaging device for obtaining images of seeds, an orienting device for orienting the seeds based on the images, and a sampling station for removing tissue from the oriented seeds. In some aspects, the system also includes a transport subsystem for supporting the oriented seeds and conveying the oriented seeds to the sampling station. A method for removing tissue from seeds includes imaging the seeds, orienting the seeds based on image information obtained from the seeds, and removing tissue from the oriented seeds. In some aspects, the method also includes transporting the oriented seeds in a transport subsystem to a sampling station for removing the tissue from the oriented seeds, and/or collecting the tissue removed from the oriented seeds so that a one-to-one correspondence exists between the tissue and the sampled seeds, and/or analyzing the tissue for characteristics indicative of genetic and/or chemical traits.

Abstract: A milking box comprises a stall portion and a backplane positioned in the stall portion. The backplane moves toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane. The backplane moves toward the front of stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface. A robotic attacher extends from the rear of the stall portion and between the hind legs of a dairy livestock located in the stall portion. A controller determines the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion. The controller determines an x-offset based at least in part upon the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion, wherein the x-offset increases as the dairy livestock moves toward the front of the stall and the x-offset decreases as the dairy livestock moves toward the rear of the stall.

Abstract: Embodiments include a containment unit for a living wall that includes a rear wall with two side walls, a top and a liquid collection trough at the bottom with several ribs extending down the front of the containment unit between the side walls, where the ribs are angled and arranged relative to each other to define vertically stacked openings between sequential ribs that forms horizontal growing surfaces when the containment unit is filled with loose plant growth medium.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic attacher comprising a main arm and a supplemental arm operable to extend into a stall portion of a milking box. A camera couples to the supplemental arm. The supplemental arm comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray the camera with a cleanser.

Abstract: An animal feeder is configured to resist clogging, enable user cleaning of the feed dispensing canister assembly and resist pest intrusion. The animal feeder includes an outer shell assembly detachably connected to a dispensing canister assembly configured to push the feed over the top of the dispensing canister assembly into the outer shell assembly. The expelled feed is collected into a feed passage and delivered to a feed receptacle.

Abstract: A cattle feeder comprising two end walls and two side walls that are configured to slide laterally inward and outward in relation to the two end walls. The two side walls comprise a plurality of support members that create a distance between the side walls and feed within the feeder. Two horizontal push bars are connected to the support members on the inside of the feeder and are configured to push feed inward as the two side walls slide inward.

Abstract: An animal lead is arranged for gripping by a handler at one end, and has a releasable attachment means for a collar or harness at the other end. The attachment means has a hooked body (4) with an aperture (20) closed by a gate (7) in a release frame (5). The release frame moves relative to the body and has an open configuration in which the gate is retracted from the gap, and a closed configuration in which the gate is held by the release frame to close the gap. The gate moves relative to the release frame whereby the hooked body may be clipped into a fastening loop of a collar or harness by the gate pushed aside and springing back to close the gap. The release frame has a decoupling member (10) arranged to sweep across the aperture as the release frame is moved from the closed to the open configuration, so that the decoupling member urges the collar to disengage by sweeping a rim of its fastening loop out of the aperture through the gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for housing an animal includes a top portion wherein an upper flange is disposed along the lower edge of the bottom portion. A locking member is movably mounted to the upper flange. The apparatus may also include a bottom portion wherein a lower flange is disposed along the upper bottom edge of the bottom portion. The locking member engages with the lower flange when the locking member is in the outwardly extending locking orientation, which is at least partially defined by the locking member structured to engage at least a portion of the lower flange in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of the bottom portion from the top portion while disposed in the outwardly extending locking orientation. The apparatus may include a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain the locking member in the outwardly extending locking orientation.

Abstract: A detangling lead assembly comprising an elongated flexible lead having a first lead end and a second lead end, a body subassembly comprising a pulley, the lead retained in a lead path from a distal end of the body assembly, around the pulley and extending from the distal end of the body subassembly whereby the first lead end and the second lead end extend generally in a distal direction from the handle subassembly and the lead is generally movable back and forth around the pulley. In some embodiments, the lead assembly further comprises a handle subassembly rotatably coupled to a proximal end of the body subassembly. In some embodiments, the housing further comprises exit points for the lead ends defining a moment arm for a moment to force the body subassembly to rotate and uncross a crossing of the lead ends.

Abstract: A hydroponic vegetable culture device generally includes a plurality of side-by-side arranged tanks and a plurality of slide boards set on the tanks. The slide boards extend across and straddle the tanks and are movable along the tanks. The slide boards are each provided with retainer frames that respectively correspond to the tanks and each includes an absorbent piece attached thereto. The tanks receive therein a nutrient solution. The absorbent pieces of the retainer frames receive vegetable seeds to be deposited therein. The absorbent pieces are allowed to absorb and keep therein the nutrient solution so as to achieve culture of hydroponically cultured vegetables. The slide boards are sequentially moved rearward so that when the slide boards reach an end of the tanks, the hydroponically cultured vegetables growing therein can be harvested. Thus, the culture of hydroponically cultured vegetables is made easy and efficient.

Abstract: A animal restraint harness having a two part pivotable frame having a set of fingers or arms extended therefrom to encircle or saddle an animal body, a spring hinge to force the fingers together, tabs or opening handles to separate the fingers, one or more harness straps, and a leash clip positioned thereon the frame and, thus such harness enables a single person to quickly and/or efficiently place the harness assembly on the animal using one hand and such harness enables safe restraint of the animal without causing the animal to choke or wheeze.

Abstract: The present invention provides for novel biochar compositions and a method for producing a new substrate for growing plants using the biochar and a method for growing plants using the biochar composition substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for deterring animal interaction with woody plants is provided, including a wire mesh cage. The wire mesh cage is formed from one of a sheet of steel wire mesh and a stake cage. The sheet of wire mesh may be formed into a tubular configuration to surround a plant in need of the protection. The stake cage may be formed from a plurality of uprights arranged around a periphery of a plant, and at least one filament wound around the plurality of uprights to form the wire mesh. The wire mesh cage may further include a protective covering, in the form of a cap or coating applied to a top surface of the wire mesh cage. The protective covering militates against damage to a plant surrounded by the wire mesh cage. The protective covering may be formed from a polymeric compound having an animal detracting additive and an ultraviolet inhibitor.

Abstract: A manual and localized weeding apparatus including a heat generator which is attached to a rod and wherein the heat generator has a fan and a heating resistor for projecting a hot air jet into an inner volume of a bell of the apparatus and which bell is provided with a free edge for supporting the apparatus on a support surface and wherein the bell is provided with at least one hole for discharging another air jet from the inner volume of the bell and wherein the at least one hole is spaced from the free edge.

Abstract: An aeroponic chamber incorporating a molded tub incorporates an integral angled interface having ports to receive misting nozzles, a drain sump including an outlet, and support brackets incorporating saddles adapted to be received on support rails with integral conduits. The conduits are connected to the misting nozzles. At least one support tray with an arcuate surface is supported on the molded tub and has a plurality of apertures to receive mesh seed pouches.

Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems, apparatuses, and methods for exercising and entertaining a pet. In one implementation, a pet exercise and entertainment device includes a launch funnel for launching projectiles for a pet to retrieve. The launch funnel has a feeder and a chute. The feeder is configured to receive a projectile and transport the projectile to an intake end of the chute. A sensor is configured to sense the projectile in the intake end of the chute and to command one or more motors to power up in response to sensing the projectile. An actuator is configured to release the projectile from the intake end of the chute into the launch end of the chute after a pre-determined time has elapsed. One or more wheels, rotated by the one or more motors, are configured to launch the projectile from the launch end of the chute.