Abstract: A nozzle device for sorting objects by ejecting a gaseous media towards said object. The nozzle device nozzle device including: a nozzle unit including at least one nozzle; a nozzle bar including gas supply means for providing a gaseous media to said nozzle unit; and a nozzle fixation bracket adapted for holding said nozzle unit in place; said at least one nozzle including: an inlet for receiving the gaseous media; and having one outlet, having an outlet area, for ejecting the gaseous media towards an object to be sorted; a channel extending between said inlet and said outlet; an outlet portion surrounding at least said outlet, wherein said outlet portion includes a flexible material, which deflects upon ejection of the gaseous media, received from said nozzle bar, through said outlet whereby said outlet area increases. Also, a system for sorting objects.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting matter comprises bulk feeding means configured for feeding a plurality of objects into a detecting region; at least one light source having a focusing element and being configured for illuminating at least one object moving in an object plane in the detecting region; and a first light-analyzing apparatus arranged to sense light that has been transmitted through the object. In the associated method, the object is caused to move in the plane and the object is illuminated with incident light. Light that has been transmitted through the object and is falling in a measuring plane is detected, and an object-specific parameter based on the detected transmitted light is determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting matter including: a light source arrangement adapted to emit a first and a second set of light beams towards a first detection zone through which the matter is provided. A spectroscopy system adapted to receive and analyse light which is reflected and/or scattered by matter in the first detection zone. A laser triangulation system including, a laser arrangement adapted to emit a line of laser light towards a second detection zone. A camera-based sensor arrangement configured to receive and analyse light which is reflected and/or scattered by matter in the second detection zone. The received light of the spectroscopy system completely or partially intersects the received light of the camera-based sensor arrangement and/or the line of laser light.

Abstract: A method of training a neural network stored on a computer-readable storage medium to classify objects in a bulk flow, the method including: providing input image data depicting objects to be classified, which input image data is captured by means of an input imaging sensor of a first sensor technology design; providing auxiliary image data, which auxiliary image data is captured by means of an auxiliary imaging sensor of a second sensor technology design, and which auxiliary image data depicts said or similar objects which are classified in accordance with a predetermined classifying scheme; by means of a processing unit, train the neural network stored on the computer-readable storage medium to classify the depicted objects in the input image data based on classifications of depicted objects in the auxiliary image data, wherein the depicted objects in the input image data correspond to objects in a bulk flow.

Abstract: A bulk sorting system for sorting objects in bulk is provided. The bulk sorting system includes: at least one radiation source arranged to radiate the objects, at least one optical sensor arranged to capture reflected radiation of the objects and acquire the reflected radiation as multi- or hyperspectral data; a processing circuit configured to analyze the reflected radiation of the objects by inputting the multi- or hyperspectral data into a convolutional neural network (CNN) with at least two convolutional layers in order to either detect and classify the objects in the multi- or hyperspectral data and/or semantically segment the multi- or hyperspectral data; and a mechanical sorter configured to sort the objects according to their classification and/or segmentation using the analysis of the processing circuit such that different overlapping and/or stacked objects are separated or treated as a single group of objects.

Abstract: An agitator for a product peel removal system, the agitator comprising: a central axle having a plurality of outwardly projecting arms; and a product lifter at the distal end of at least one of said outwardly projecting arms; and an apparatus for product peel removal comprising: a drum having an inlet for receiving product, an outlet for dispensing of product; and a plurality of perforations through which removed peel may pass; at least one agitator arranged within said drum and rotatable relative to said drum for agitating the product passing between said inlet and outlet; and means for controlling the retention time of product within the rotatable drum independently from the rotation speed of the agitator.

Abstract: A peeling process and system comprising a primary peeling device; a sorting device arranged to sort product output from the primary peeling device into peeled product and partially peeled product; a secondary peeling device arranged to receive the partially peeled product output from the sorting device; and a peel control system to monitor the peel quality of product detected in at least one position after the primary peeling device and control the peeling system in response to same.

Abstract: A method for handling harvested root crops such as potatoes. The method includes the steps of optically imaging (i.e., by the hyper-spectral imaging system) a bulk flow of a harvested root crop to produce image data and analysing the image data to identify discrete objects within the bulk flow. Each identified object is categorised as either acceptable or unacceptable based on a comparison with at least one discriminator and objects classified as unacceptable are removed (by the ejector actuator) from the bulk flow to provide a sorted flow of the harvested root crop.

Abstract: A nozzle device for sorting objects by ejecting a gaseous media towards said object. The nozzle device nozzle device including: a nozzle unit including at least one nozzle; a nozzle bar including gas supply means for providing a gaseous media to said nozzle unit; and a nozzle fixation bracket adapted for holding said nozzle unit in place; said at least one nozzle including: an inlet for receiving the gaseous media; and having one outlet, having an outlet area, for ejecting the gaseous media towards an object to be sorted; a channel extending between said inlet and said outlet; an outlet portion surrounding at least said outlet, wherein said outlet portion includes a flexible material, which deflects upon ejection of the gaseous media, received from said nozzle bar, through said outlet whereby said outlet area increases. Also, a system for sorting objects.

Abstract: A nozzle device for sorting objects by ejecting a gaseous media towards said object. The nozzle device nozzle device including: a nozzle unit including at least one nozzle; a nozzle bar including gas supply means for providing a gaseous media to said nozzle unit; and a nozzle fixation bracket adapted for holding said nozzle unit in place; said at least one nozzle including: an inlet for receiving the gaseous media; and having one outlet, having an outlet area, for ejecting the gaseous media towards an object to be sorted; a channel extending between said inlet and said outlet; an outlet portion surrounding at least said outlet, wherein said outlet portion including a flexible material, which deflects upon ejection of the gaseous media, received from said nozzle bar, through said outlet whereby said outlet area increases. Also, a system for sorting objects.

Abstract: A method for identifying the presence of partly liberated diamonds in a material stream. The method including illuminating a material with a multi-wavelength beam including at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam. A sorting process including ejecting objects including material classified as diamond from a transportation direction of the material stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection of Acrylamide precursors in raw potatoes including: illuminating at least one region of a raw potato's surface with an illumination beam; measuring the intensity of light scattered by the potato; generating a detection signal based on the measured intensity of scattered light; comparing the detection signal to a predefined threshold; and classifying the potato as having a high Acrylamide precursor concentration if the detection signal exceeds the predefined threshold.

Abstract: A method for object classification, including: guiding a continuous stream of objects from a transport mechanism directly into an unsupported path, along which the object stream is fed through a detection region; illuminating the detection region with a radiation band in a first direction; optically scanning the detection region to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected by the at least one object in the detection region by viewing the detection region along a second direction, wherein the directions have a cross-section in the detection region and form an angle relative each other of 10°-80°; analyzing the information; and classifying objects in at least two different directions based on the analysis of the transparency information from the optical scanning; wherein the step of analyzing the information from the optical scanning includes analyzing the objects based on the intensity, spread and texture of the detected radiation from the optical scanning.

Abstract: A method for object classification, including: guiding a continuous stream of objects from a transport mechanism directly into an unsupported path, along which the object stream is fed through a detection region; illuminating the detection region with a radiation band in a first direction; optically scanning the detection region to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected by the at least one object in the detection region by viewing the detection region along a second direction, wherein the directions have a cross-section in the detection region and form an angle relative each other of 10°-80°; analyzing the information; and classifying objects in at least two different directions based on the analysis of the transparency information from the optical scanning; wherein the step of analyzing the information from the optical scanning includes analyzing the objects based on the intensity, spread and texture of the detected radiation from the optical scanning.

Abstract: A pattern for calibration of a detector, including of a series of contrasting light and dark segments; the segments being arranged such that the absolute position of any point on the pattern is determinable from a window portion of the pattern including the point; the window portion having a predetermined minimum number of segments, the predetermined minimum number of segments being less than the total number of segments in the series.

Abstract: A method for identifying the presence of partly liberated diamonds in a material stream. The method including illuminating a material with a multi-wavelength beam including at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam. A sorting process including ejecting objects including material classified as diamond from a transportation direction of the material stream.

Abstract: A method for identifying the presence of partly liberated diamonds in a material stream. The method can include illuminating a material with a multi-wavelength beam including at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam, capturing a portion of the at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam after the monochromatic SWIR laser beam has been reflected and/or scattered by the material, producing a SWIR signal based on the captured portion of the at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and capturing a first portion of the at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam after the at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam has been scattered and optionally reflected by the material.

Abstract: A steam peeling vessel for rotation about an internal axis of rotation, including at least one internal lifter having a longitudinal axis oriented at an oblique angle to the internal axis of rotation of the vessel. The vessel may include at least two internal lifters. The vessel may include a first lifter oriented at a first oblique angle to the axis of rotation, and at least a second lifter oriented at a second oblique angle to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A method for identifying the presence of partly liberated diamonds in a material stream. The method can include illuminating a material with a multi-wavelength beam including at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam, capturing a portion of the at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam after the monochromatic SWIR laser beam has been reflected and/or scattered by the material, producing a SWIR signal based on the captured portion of the at least one monochromatic SWIR laser beam, and capturing a first portion of the at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam after the at least one IR scatter-/anti-scatter laser beam has been scattered and optionally reflected by the material.