Abstract: An electrical energy processing unit of an apparatus to kill a plant or at least attenuate plant growth is disclosed. The electrical energy processing unit includes a converter and a control circuit. Also disclosed are an apparatus that includes the electrical energy processing unit and a method of utilizing the apparatus. Further disclosed are a computer program for a processor of the control circuit of the electrical energy processing unit and a non-transitory computer readable medium that includes the computer program.

Abstract: A feed hopper with two chute members is provided. The chutes are movable with respect to one another and one chute has an extending lip to engage the inner surface of the other chute to prevent feed from escaping the hopper.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a frame with a motor, a bumper connected to the frame via a connecting device, and a sensor detecting displacement of the bumper upon a collision. The sensor is connected with a propulsion system that interrupts displacing the vehicle upon detecting a displacement. The connecting device includes a ring, a first ball part, a second ball part, a shaft, and a spring. The ring is fixedly connected to the frame, and the first and second ball part rotatably tilt in the ring. The shaft extends through the ring and the first ball part, and through and beyond the second ball part to a second end, at which the shaft is connected to the bumper by a joint. At least one ball part is displaceable along the shaft. The spring extends around the shaft between the second ball part and a spring connector, and pretensionedly presses the first and second ball parts against the ring. Upon a collision with an obstacle, the bumpers shifts, and the shaft tilts with respect to the frame.

Abstract: A method for pumping seeds to an assembly line grow pods includes releasing seeds to a pipe in fluid communication with a pump, moving water from a water source to the pipe in fluid communication with the pump, combining the seeds released from the tank with the water from the water source in the pipe, and pumping the combination of the seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source to a grow pod line in fluid communication with the pump, and moving the seeds from the grow pod line to one or more carts of an assembly line grow pod.

Abstract: A thin material that is in a single planar which has a front and back and is circular in shape. There is a radius in the periphery that travels from the periphery inward, creating a cut that is interior to the peripheral edge and follows the circumference of the circular shape. Where this cut ends there is an opening or change in its direction. A fishing line passes through a hole in the material that is interior to the cut. When the device is in use being pulled through the water, the material between the interior cut and the device's peripheral edge deflects back causing the device to rotate which creates the needed action and flash to attract the fish. This planar deflection is not permanent and the material will return to its single planar when at rest.

Abstract: A method for producing a fuselage portion, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, has the following method steps: welding a skin portion containing a thermoplastic material with a former containing a thermoplastic material in the region of a predetermined welding zone; and connecting an attachment element, configured as a crack stopper, to the skin portion and to the former in the region of the welding zone.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of targeting grower fields for crop yield lift is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a processor, crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data over a period of time regarding a group of fields associated with a plurality of grower devices; receiving, by the processor, a current seeding rate for a grower's field associated with one of a plurality of grower devices; determining, whether the grower's field will be responsive to increasing a crop seeding rate for the grower's field from the current seeding rate to a target seeding rate based on the crop seeding rate data and corresponding crop yield data; preparing, in response to determining that the grower's field will be responsive, a prescription including a new crop seeding rate and a specific hybrid to be implemented in the grower's field.

Abstract: An insect killing system has a blower drawing air entraining insects from below a vacuum machine, impelling the air upward, a flange oriented horizontally at an outlet to the blower, and a killing assembly affixed to the flange. The system is characterized in that the killing assembly comprises a plurality of panels of a common width, having an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposite side edges defining an area for each panel, the area closed by a relatively thin perforated sheet material exhibiting a matrix of through holes, individual panels affixed by the bottom edge to the flange on opposite sides, with each panel oriented by a steep angle from vertical, with each panel in the plurality parallel to and spaced apart from one or more adjacent panels, such that the area defined by an inside diameter of the flange is covered by the plurality of adjacent parallel panels.

Abstract: An improved rod and reel attachment for a fishing rod that provides an improved method for securing a reel to the rod wherein the reel is attachable to the foot on the attachment that slides through a dovetail channel and is secured thereon with a locking pin that allows for quick and secure attachment and de-attachment of a reel to a rod.

Abstract: A satellite deorbiting device including an aerobraking surface including a satellite attitude control device with gravity gradient, the device with gravity gradient including at least one mast carrying the aerobraking surface, a first end of which is secured to the satellite and the second end of which is provided with a mass, such that the mast is oriented in a direction opposing that of the planet around which the satellite orbits.

Abstract: An image capture system for a grow pod includes a master controller that has a processor, a memory, and cameras that are communicatively coupled to the master controller and positioned to capture images of plants or seeds. The memory stores a grow recipe and a logic. The grow recipe defines instructions for growing the plants or seeds and expected attributes corresponding to the instructions. The logic, when executed by the processor, causes the master controller to perform at least the following: receive, from the cameras, the images of the plants or seeds, determine attributes of the plants or seeds from the images, compare the attributes of the plants or seeds from the images to the expected attributes defined by the grow recipe, and adjust the instructions of the grow recipe for growing the plants or seeds based on the comparison of the attributes to the expected attributes.

Abstract: A multirotor aircraft with an airframe and a thrust producing units arrangement, wherein the thrust producing units arrangement comprises a predetermined number of thrust producing units for producing thrust in a predetermined direction, and wherein a flexible suspension unit is rigidly mounted to the airframe, wherein the flexible suspension unit comprises at least one bearing that mechanically couples the thrust producing units arrangement to the airframe such that the thrust producing units of the predetermined number of thrust producing units are inclinable in relation to the airframe.

Abstract: An animal toy includes a generally spherical center portion having an opening, a slidable door configured to close the opening, and a plurality of flexible legs. The slidable door is configured to frictionally fit within open such that the door is capable of being in an open position, a closed position and a partially opened position. Each of the plurality legs includes an arcuate portion so as to at least partially surround the generally spherical center portion.

Abstract: A light, in particular, a light having a fly killing function that can be used for lighting and killing flies including at least one LED chip, a fly storage means, a negative pressure fan, a fan hanger, a ventilation net, a power supply; wherein the fly storage means is connected to the fan hanger, the LED chip is secured to an lower end of the fly storage means, the fly storage means including an air inlet and a fly storage groove, the negative pressure fan is mounted onto the fan hanger above the fly storage means, a gap is provided between the blades of the negative pressure fan and an upper end of the fly storage means to allow flies to go through; the ventilation net includes a plurality of ventilation holes having a size that is able to stop flies from passing therethrough, and the ventilation net is provided circumferentially between the outside wall of the fan hanger and the outside wall of the fly storage means, and the fan hanger, the ventilation net and the fly storage means form a substantially cl

Abstract: A system for driving and guiding a trailing edge control surface on a trailing edge region of an aircraft wing comprises a first guide device coupled with the control surface to guide the control surface along a predetermined trajectory relative to the trailing edge region between a retracted position and an extended position, a first drive device couplable with the wing and the control surface to move the control surface along the trajectory, and a second drive device coupled with the control surface and couplable with one of the wing and the first guide device to influence the incidence angle of the control surface, wherein the first drive device and the second drive device are separate from each other and are operable independently, such that the incidence angle of the control surface is influencable at least in the retracted position of the control surface.

Abstract: A hybrid multi-rotor aircraft, includes a plurality of vertical propulsion rotors and at least one forward propulsion rotor. The aircraft also includes a rotor compartment within for each of the vertical propulsion rotors such that a vertical propulsion rotor may be stowed within its respective rotor compartment. A deployable rotor-compartment cover for each rotor compartment is provided and may be moved to an open state to allow the vertical propulsion rotors to be deployed and moved to a closed state to cover their respective vertical propulsion rotors when the vertical propulsion rotors or in a closed state.

Abstract: A method of harvesting crustaceans that utilizes a trap and buoy system, each trap being equipped with a digital camera and a light flash mechanism and being electrically connected to a buoy which has a wireless broadcast system to forward images received from the camera wirelessly to a further location that is equipped to receive the wirelessly transmitted image and to display the image to a human user. The method begins with laying out traps in the ocean, in a grid having a first grid spacing. Then for each trap, repeatedly lighting the trap with the flash mechanism and forming an image with the digital camera and sending the image to the further location. Then monitoring the images. Finally, in reliance on the images deciding to begin laying out traps in a grid, having a second grid spacing that is tighter than the first grid spacing, around a particular trap.

Abstract: An animal bed for supporting an animal includes a body having a bottom member and a bolster forming an outer wall of the body. The outer wall is positioned about a perimeter of the bottom member and extends outwardly therefrom to define a recessed area for accommodating the animal. A plurality of straps is coupled to and extending at least partially across the bottom member opposite the recessed area. Each of the plurality of straps includes a degree of elasticity configured to hold a rigid member in contact with the bottom member.

Abstract: An offshore fishing apparatus aligns properly, is light weight, and is consistently adjustable by the user to their desired tension for smooth release of their fishing line when a fish strikes or when any force overcomes the applied tension placed on the fishing line release arm. The device further includes a proximal beveled entry and exit including a pivot ball with an aperture, through which a kite or connection line is run through. The pivot ball allows the device to pivot in the direction the fishing line moves. The device is advantageously light weight, in part due to lightweight materials used to construct the device without reducing the device's performance.

Abstract: The self watering bottle planter insert allows a regular bottle to be transformed into a hydroponic planter. The self watering bottle planter insert is insertable into a bottle and removes the need for a separate source of nutrients. The planter uses composite media with an enriched substrate layered beneath a more standard hydroponic growth media to add nutrients to the water for the life cycle of the plant.