Abstract: An end effector includes a housing, a first door pivotably coupled to the housing, and a second door pivotably coupled to the housing. An actuator operably couples to the first door and the second door, and is configured to transition the first door and the second door between (i) a closed state in which access to an interior of the housing is restricted and (ii) an opened state in which access to the interior of the housing is permitted. A cutting mechanism is configured to sever an edible portion of a plant from a remaining portion of the plant.

Abstract: A harvester selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. The harvester may include an imaging system for capturing image(s) of the edible crowns and a de-leafing component that removes leaves of the broccoli plant. For example, broccoli plants typically have an abundance of leaves that reside beneath, alongside of, and even above the edible crowns. The leaves may conceal the edible crowns and impact a quality of the image(s). The de-leafing component may be positioned in front of the imaging system, relative to a direction of travel of the harvester, to remove the leaves and isolate or expose the edible crown. Therein, the imaging system may image the edible crowns for use in determining whether the edible crowns are ready for harvesting.

Abstract: A harvester that determines whether edible crowns are ready to be harvested and selectively harvests the edible crowns that are ready for harvesting. The harvester may include sensors, such as an imaging system, for detecting the edible crowns of individual broccoli plants. Image data from the imaging system may be provided as an input to a machine-learning model to determine a maturity (or immaturity) of the edible crowns. If the edible crowns are ready for harvesting, mechanical pickers harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that cut the edible crowns from a remainder of the broccoli plant. The harvester may be configured to continuously harvest the edible crowns as the harvester moves about a field. In some instances, the harvester may include any number of robotic arms for harvesting the edible crowns across multiple rows of broccoli plants.

Abstract: A harvester selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. The harvester may include an imaging system for capturing image(s) of the edible crowns and a de-leafing component that removes leaves of the broccoli plant. For example, broccoli plants typically have an abundance of leaves that reside beneath, alongside of, and even above the edible crowns. The leaves may conceal the edible crowns and impact a quality of the image(s). The de-leafing component may be positioned in front of the imaging system, relative to a direction of travel of the harvester, to remove the leaves and isolate or expose the edible crown. Therein, the imaging system may image the edible crowns for use in determining whether the edible crowns are ready for harvesting.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: An end effector for harvesting edible crowns of broccoli plants. The end effector may include a body, fingers pivotably coupled to the body, and a rotary actuator disposed in the body. The rotary actuator operably couples to the fingers via one or more linkages and is configured to transition the fingers between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, an edible crown is retained within the end effector, while in the open position, the edible crown is released from the end effector. A cutting mechanism of the end effector severs the edible crown from a stalk of the broccoli plant. A robotic arm may position the end effector relative to the edible crown for harvesting.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: A speed of a harvester may be adjusted based on a number or ratio of harvestable edible crowns across rows of broccoli plants. For example, as the harvester travels across a field, imaging device(s) may image edible crowns across the multiple rows. The image(s) may be used to determine a number of harvestable edible crowns within each row of broccoli plants. Determining which row contains the greatest number of harvestable edible crowns may be used for adjusting the speed of the harvester to accommodate for harvesting the edible crowns across all rows. Therefore, because edible crowns mature at different rates, the harvester may travel as fast as the “slowest” row, or the row having the greatest number of harvestable edible crowns, to allow enough time for the harvester to harvest the edible crowns.

Abstract: A harvester that determines whether edible crowns are ready to be harvested and selectively harvests the edible crowns that are ready for harvesting. The harvester may include sensors, such as an imaging system, for detecting the edible crowns of individual broccoli plants. Image data from the imaging system may be provided as an input to a machine-learning model to determine a maturity (or immaturity) of the edible crowns. If the edible crowns are ready for harvesting, mechanical pickers harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that cut the edible crowns from a remainder of the broccoli plant. The harvester may be configured to continuously harvest the edible crowns as the harvester moves about a field. In some instances, the harvester may include any number of robotic arms for harvesting the edible crowns across multiple rows of broccoli plants.

Abstract: A harvester selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. The harvester may include an imaging system for capturing image(s) of the edible crowns and a de-leafing component that removes leaves of the broccoli plant. For example, broccoli plants typically have an abundance of leaves that reside beneath, alongside of, and even above the edible crowns. The leaves may conceal the edible crowns and impact a quality of the image(s). The de-leafing component may be positioned in front of the imaging system, relative to a direction of travel of the harvester, to remove the leaves and isolate or expose the edible crown. Therein, the imaging system may image the edible crowns for use in determining whether the edible crowns are ready for harvesting.

Abstract: A harvester travels along a route within a field and selectively harvests edible crowns ready for harvesting. As the harvester travels along the route, a position of the harvester and/or the edible crowns may be determined using an encoder, imaging device(s), and/or navigational system(s). For example, image(s) captured by the imaging device(s) may be used to determine a location of the edible crowns and/or global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates may indicate a location of the harvester within the field. These locations may be used for instructing harvesting components to harvest the edible crowns. For example, the harvester may include robotic arms having end effectors that harvest the edible crowns. Knowing the location of the edible crowns and/or the harvester therefore allows for the accurate placement of the end effectors for harvesting the edible crowns.

Abstract: An end effector for harvesting edible crowns of broccoli plants. The end effector may include a body, fingers pivotably coupled to the body, and a rotary actuator disposed in the body. The rotary actuator operably couples to the fingers via one or more linkages and is configured to transition the fingers between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, an edible crown is retained within the end effector, while in the open position, the edible crown is released from the end effector. A cutting mechanism of the end effector severs the edible crown from a stalk of the broccoli plant. A robotic arm may position the end effector relative to the edible crown for harvesting.

Abstract: A lactamase enzyme having good stability, capable of hydrolysing an enantiomer of the bicyclic lactam, 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-3-one, to give (−) lactam and (+) amino acid, has been found in a strain of Comamonas acidivorans. The enzyme has been isolated and cloned, and its structure identified.

Abstract: A lactamase enzyme having good stability, capable of hydrolysing an enatiomer of the bicyclic lactam, 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-3-one, to give (-) lactam and (+) amino acid, has been found in a strain of Comamonas acidivorans. The enzyme has been isolated and cloned, and its structure identified.

Abstract: An organism of the genus Ophiostoma or Ceratocystis, or a material having enzymatic activity derived therefrom, is used as a stereo-specific agent, in a biotransformation reaction, for the production of an enantiomeric acid or alcohol from a mixture of enantiomers of an ester thereof.

Abstract: An enzyme is provided which has acylase activity capable of hydrolyzing N-acetyl-(R,S)-pipecolic acid stereoselectively to give (S)-pipecolic acid, wherein this activity is greater than that on N-acetyl-S-proline, at pH 7.5, 25.degree. C., and substrate concentration 20 g/l, in 75 mM Tris buffer. The enzyme is obtainable from the species of Alcaligenes denitrificans deposited as NCIMB 40587. A microorganism having therein the enzyme also is provided, as is a process for preparing (S)-pipecolic acid comprising contacting a mixture of enantiomers of an N-acyl-pipe colic acid with the enzyme or microorganism.