Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for fluidics-based automated orientation of plant embryos. The apparatus comprises flow channels, flow direction means, an orientation detector and a control unit. The orientation of embryos suspended in liquid flowing individually through the flow channels is constrained to cotyledon-first or cotyledon-last orientation by dimensional constraints. The orientation is determined by the orientation detector. Embryos not oriented as desired are directed into a reservoir tube by the flow direction means, after which the flow is directed from the reservoir tube to the outlet thereby having reoriented the embryo. Means of sorting viable embryos from other objects are optionally included in the apparatus.

Abstract: Photosensitive polybenzoxazine compositions include a photosensitive additive such as an o-diazoquinone and a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by the following formula (I) wherein R1 comprises an aliphatic group, an alicyclic group, an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, or combinations thereof, R2 comprises an aliphatic group, an alicyclic group, an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, or combinations thereof, R4 comprises a hydrophilic group, a hydrophilic group protected by an acid-cleavable group, a hydrophilic group protected by a base-cleavable group, a cross-linkable group, or combinations thereof, and i represents an integer of 1 or more. The photosensitive compositions may be formed by combining a precursor polymer with a photosensitive additive and a solvent, patterning the precursor polymer, and heating the precursor polymer at a thermal processing temperature in a range of from about 180° C. to about 300° C. to convert the precursor polymer into the final polymer.

Abstract: A part tracking system comprised of an array of photoelectric sensors positioned at various angles with respect to a conveyor transporting parts such as pieces of poultry to create a field of detection. The angle arrangements of the array of photoelectric sensors circumscribes the parts with lines of varying angles to approximate the part outline or closed line integral with a polygon. As a part is conveyed through the array of photoelectric sensors each transition of the sensors provide a side of the polygon that circumscribes the part. From this the vertices of the polygon can be determined which allows the centroid and angle of the major axis of the part to be calculated thereby providing the coordinates for the part's location on the conveyor. The coordinates are then conveyed to a robotic controller which manipulates an end effector to grasp the part.