Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus includes a duct through which feed falls under gravity. A drive wheel is mounted in the duct and includes a plurality of paddle blades such that falling feed in the duct acts to drive the blades to rotate the wheel about the axis. A syringe is laid in a support channel where a plunger of the syringe is compressed longitudinally for feeding a liquid to an injection nozzle into the duct by a screw driven by the wheel. The wheel and the support channel are mounted on a common housing forming the duct and containing the wheel, to an injection opening on the bottom of the housing for addition to the feed passing through the duct portion.

Abstract: A living area includes a lying and eating area and a milking area. The living area is connected to a separation area by a selection device. A subgroup of dairy animals to be separated is determined together with a desired end time at which the dairy animals to be separated should be present in the separation area. For each individual dairy animal from the subgroup to be separated, an individual separation period is determined separately which runs from the individually determined start time until the end time. A dairy animal which walks to the selection device is guided by the selection device to the separation area if the dairy animal belongs to the subgroup of dairy animals to be separated and if said dairy animal is present at the selection device during the individual separation period determined for said dairy animal. The activity of each dairy animal in the group of dairy animals is observed by an observation system while the dairy animal is in the lying and eating area.

Abstract: The invention includes pet toys made of multiple layers of material, and more particularly, to pet toys with an exterior constructed with multiple layers assembled in an offset manner resembling protective armor. The body or core of the pet toy is made of a plurality of armor plates or pieces that overlap one another in a desired configuration to present the desired armor. A central core or spine element may serve as a threading element to secure armor plates to one another. One embodiment includes armor plates that are stacked upon one another and are therefore disposed along a longitudinal axis. Another embodiment includes armor plates that are placed laterally or side-by-side with one another to form a row, and a plurality of rows are then connected to one another. The invention also includes a method for entertaining an animal with the pet toy having the multiple layers of material.

Abstract: Monitoring systems and methods for tracking movement of one or more animals in an enclosure, such as a fish tank, include introducing various stimuli, such as food, light, and auditory stimuli, and tracking the movement of the animals in response to these stimuli. Movement patterns of the animals can be determined and analyzed from data obtain from cameras that record images/videos of the relevant portions of the enclosure.

Abstract: A hydroponic planting cup system includes a body, a first-inner-volume, and a second-inner-volume. The hydroponic planting cup system is useful for eliminating the need to transplant which effectively avoids the high risk of plants dying during the transplanting process in hydroponics. The hydroponic planting cup system is a single step process of growing plants in a hydronic system.

Abstract: A method, and milking system, for managing a herd of dairy animals including N groups, wherein N?2, and the method includes: A) determining a content of a substance in the milk for a group of dairy animals, and B) performing an animal-related operation for the group, based on the content of the determined substance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing primed seed, a method for improving the germination rate of seed, and a use of a gaseous composition. The method for preparing primed seed comprises successively: providing seed that is capable of germinating, exposing said seed to a treatment atmosphere for an exposure time of at least 1 second, wherein the treatment atmosphere has a relative humidity of 50% or more and a temperature of 50-100° C., and wherein the exposure time has a duration of 30 minutes or less, and cooling and optionally drying said seed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oyster farming method comprising at least one cultivation step (200) wherein periods of immersion are alternated with periods of mechanical dewatering of the oysters, the mechanical dewatering periods lasting between 3 hours and 48 hours, and an immersion period between two periods of mechanical dewatering lasting between 3 hours and seven days.

Abstract: A method for plant treatment, including: receiving a first measurement for a plant from a sensor as the sensor moves within a geographic area comprising a plurality of plants; in response to receipt of the first measurement and prior to receipt of a second measurement for a second plant of the plurality, determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant to optimize a geographic area output parameter based on the first measurement and historical measurements for the geographic area; determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant; and operating a treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter.

Abstract: Techniques for deploying a plurality of smallsats from a common launch vehicle are disclosed where a structural arrangement provides a load path between an upper stage of the launch and the plurality of spacecraft. Each spacecraft is mechanically coupled with the launch vehicle upper stage only by the structural arrangement. The structural arrangement includes at least one trunk member that is approximately aligned with the longitudinal axis of the launch vehicle upper stage, a plurality of branch members, each branch member being attached to the trunk member and having at least a first end portion that is substantially outboard from the longitudinal axis; and a plurality of mechanical linkages, each linkage coupled at a first end with a first respective spacecraft and coupled at a second end with one of the plurality of branch members, the trunk member or a second respective spacecraft.

Abstract: An upright open face flexible irrigation bag having a first edge with a first set of zipper teeth and a second edge with a second set of zipper teeth and a slider for in situ securing the first set of zipper teeth to the second set of zipper teeth around a sapling and an emitter wherein the emitter includes flow control through either a restrictive nozzle or an emitter valve or both with both the emitter valve and the restrictive nozzle located external to the irrigation bag and proximate a ground edge of the upright irrigation bag with the irrigation bag including an emitter valve for compensating in a water pressure head in the irrigation bag.

Abstract: A wall mounted agricultural system includes a mounting structure including first and a second ends and supported from a substantially vertically extending wall surface, and at least one planter box that includes a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall that cooperate to form a compartment and an upwardly opening aperture, wherein at least one of the sidewalls comprises a rear wall facing the wall surface, the at least one planter box is configured to mount to the mounting structure such that the rear wall is spaced from the wall surface to create a space therebetween, and wherein the at least one planter box includes an aperture in fluid communication with the compartment and the space positioned between the rear wall and the wall surface, and wherein the aperture in fluid communication with the space is configured to allow water received through the upwardly opening aperture to drain into the space.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plant stripper for separating buds or fruit from the stems or branches of a plant. In one embodiment, the plant stripper is defined by a housing that contains a face plate, bladed rollers, and motor and gear system for counter turning the rollers. In operation, a plant stem bearing buds or fruit may be provided through a plant hole in the face plate and gripped by the counter turning rollers so that continued counter turning of the rollers pulls the stems or plants through the plant hole of the face plate. Suitably, the plant hole is gauged so that only the stem may pass through the hole but not the buds or fruit whereby the buds or fruit of the plant are stripped from the plant via action of the stem through the plant hole. In one embodiment, the plant stripper features a guide tray for catching stripped buds or fruit and guiding the same to a collection bin.

Abstract: Crop-specific automated irrigation include environmental medium and management of nutrients. Operation of an irrigation apparatus can be regulated according to specific water demand of a crop. The water demand can be assessed by evaluating water content conditions of the environmental medium comprising the crop, medium characteristics, and/or nutrient delivery and transport characteristics at the medium. Regulation of operation of the irrigation apparatus can comprise control of one or more of water supply to the apparatus, positioning and/or movement of the irrigation apparatus, or configuration of sensing devices for collection of information suitable for such regulation.

Abstract: An improved trimmer is structured to be held in the palm of a user's hand. The trimmer has a grinding drum that is advantageously structured to be situated in a palmar region of the user's hand that can be said to extend from the palm and to be generally bounded by the fingertips. When the trimmer is held in the palmar region, the thumb and certain fingers can support the trimmer, and other fingers that are not necessarily employed in supporting the trimmer are usable to operate a control switch of the trimmer. The control switch controls operation of a drive motor that is connected with a grinding drum which provides abrasive surfaces that are engageable with the animal nail or claw.

Abstract: An aerodynamic surface assembly is provided to facilitate control of the flow over the aerodynamic surface. The aerodynamic surface assembly includes an aerodynamic surface defining an outer mold line over which a fluid is to flow in a downstream direction. The outer mold line defines a smooth contour that is interrupted by step down region that is inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof. The aerodynamic surface defines an orifice opening in to the step down region. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include an overhang extending from the outer mold line of the aerodynamic surface upstream at the orifice. The overhang extends in the downstream direction and at least partially over the orifice. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include a fluidic actuator defining a pair of curved passageways extending from an input region and are in fluid communication with the orifice.

Abstract: Provided is an expandable, modular tower planter having an internal vertical composting capability, and a method of assembling and using the same. Provided in various example embodiments is a modular composting garden container system comprising a base and a plurality of stackable rings forming a tower upon the base, including an optional base ring specially sized, shaped, and positioned to connect the tower to the base. A plurality of perforated, stackable tube sections are provided that are removably assembled into a compost tube assembly of selectable height and mounted within the interior of the tower and above the base. A plurality of holding struts are sized, shaped, and positioned to removably connect the compost tube assembly with the tower and to securely locate the compost tube assembly relative to the tower. Means are provided for recovering nutrient-rich drainage and selective recovery of compost material for reintroduction into the system.

Abstract: An aircraft comprises several elements. A throttle body is adapted to regulate a rate of air flow. An electronic control unit, in turn, is in signal communication with one or more sensors, and comprises a data processor in signal communication with a memory. A first fuel delivery system is operative to direct a first fuel from a first fuel tank to the plurality of cylinders at a rate determined at least in part by a condition of the throttle body. A second fuel delivery system is operative to direct a second fuel from a second fuel tank to the plurality of cylinders at a rate determined at least in part by the electronic control unit in response to signals from the one or more sensors. One or more fuel selection controls allow a pilot of the aircraft to select between powering the aircraft with the first fuel delivery system and the second fuel delivery system.

Abstract: An aircraft motor includes a bearing assembly including a first plurality of rotor alignment magnets; a magnet support structure fixedly mounted on a shaft of the motor in a spaced apart relation to the bearing assembly, the magnet support structure including a second plurality of rotor alignment magnets such that when the vertical thrust engine is disengaged, attraction between the first and second rotor alignment magnets causes the magnet support structure to rotate relative to the bearing assembly to an alignment position defined by the relative placement of north and south poles of the first and second plurality of rotor alignment magnets.

Abstract: In an aerospace vehicle in which a satellite is detachably adapted to the first stage rocket and the second stage rocket, an electronic device 65 is installed in the satellite 60, wherein the electronic device 65 controls the first stage rocket 10 and the second stage rocket 20 before the satellite is detached from the first stage rocket 10 and the second stage rocket 20. Thereby, it is unnecessary to provide sensors, radio devices and electronic devices for exclusive use with respect to the first stage rocket 10 and the second stage rocket 20 so that a manufacturing cost of the rockets 10 and 20 can be reduced and a total weight of the rockets 10 and 20 can become lighter by omitting these equipments. Thus, an aerospace vehicle system within the rockets 10 and 20 can be simplified and a launch of the aerospace vehicle can be prepared within a short period.