Abstract: Particles are sterilized by application of a sterilizing agent such as UV light while singulated by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: Objects in a stream in a duct are singulated and oriented by rotating at least some so that the orientations of all aligned. In one arrangement a slot is provided in the singulation duct into which the shank falls while the head remains in the singulation duct. In another arrangement there is provided a buffering device and a transfer member for transferring the singulated oriented objects from the buffering device to an operating location. In another arrangement a first path changes the orientation of relative to the second path. The objects can be fed from a singulation duct to a supply duct having an exit mouth lying on a rotation axis of the singulation duct.

Abstract: A method and device for detection of bone in meat identifies fragments larger than about 1 mm using spectral optical imaging and ultrasound. Spectral imaging can detect foreign material proximate to the surface and ultrasound can detect material within the sample. The sample is irradiated by light and reflected light or Raman scattered light measured. The sample is similarly irradiated by ultrasound and reflected or transmitted sound waves give a set of amplitude data points, which include temporal delay. These data points are then processed by statistical methods to derive a set of vectors in n-dimensional space, which are compared to a calibrated data set of derived vectors which have distinct identifying loci for each type of surface, are indicative of the presence or absence of defects.

Abstract: Particles are sterilized by application of a sterilizing agent such as UV light while singulated by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: Objects in a stream in a duct are singulated and oriented by rotating at least some so that the orientations of all aligned. In one arrangement a slot is provided in the singulation duct into which the shank falls while the head remains in the singulation duct. In another arrangement there is provided a buffering device and a transfer member for transferring the singulated oriented objects from the buffering device to an operating location. In another arrangement a first path changes the orientation of relative to the second path. The objects can be fed from a singulation duct to a supply duct having an exit mouth lying on a rotation axis of the singulation duct.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: A method and device for detection of bone in meat identifies fragments larger than about 1 mm using spectral optical imaging and ultrasound. Spectral imaging can detect foreign material proximate to the surface and ultrasound can detect material within the sample. The sample is irradiated by light and reflected light or Raman scattered light measured. The sample is similarly irradiated by ultrasound and reflected or transmitted sound waves give a set of amplitude data points, which include temporal delay. These data points are then processed by statistical methods to derive a set of vectors in n-dimensional space, which are compared to a calibrated data set of derived vectors which have distinct identifying loci for each type of surface, are indicative of the presence or absence of defects.

Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.

Abstract: In a method for measuring radiation, the radiation is temporally and/or spatially separated by a modulator to direct at least N different combinations of radiation incident on each region into at least two and fewer than N distinct directions. The total intensity of radiation in each direction is measured with a detector for each modulator configuration and the detector outputs are analyzed statistically to obtain information relating to the spectral properties of the radiation. In this way substantially all of the energy received at the entrance aperture of a measurement device is encoded into multiple outputs and the multiplexed output is received by a small number of detectors.

Abstract: A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

Abstract: A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

Abstract: A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

Abstract: A method for growing plants includes both a seeder and a harvester both of which include arrangements for singulating the seeds and for measuring parameters of the seeds while singulated. This can be used for seeding selected seeds and for harvesting particular plants. The system operates by correlating information from the individual seeded seeds and from the harvested seeds in respect of a particular location on the growth medium and may include information relating the growth medium at the location. The location can be determined by seeding the plants in patterns which can be detected by a reader on the harvester. The system can be used to control selection of seeds to take into account soil conditions at the plant.

Abstract: In a method for measuring radiation, the radiation is temporally and/or spatially separated by a modulator to direct at least N different combinations of radiation incident on each region into at least two and fewer than N distinct directions. The total intensity of radiation in each direction is measured with a detector for each modulator configuration and the detector outputs are analyzed statistically to obtain information relating to the spectral properties of the radiation. In this way substantially all of the energy received at the entrance aperture of a measurement device is encoded into multiple outputs and the multiplexed output is received by a small number of detectors.

Abstract: A system for measuring soil constituents having coulter comprising an electromagnetic radiation detector, a source of electromagnetic radiation, and a window transparent to electromagnetic radiation, the source emits radiation through said window to the soil, and the detector receives radiation through said window, reflected from the soil. Typically the source is broad band so the detector provides continuous spectra over the range. The source may be quasimonochromatic to provide Raman scattering, which will also provide continuous spectra over the range. These spectra can be subjected to multivariate analysis and compared to spectra of known constituents to identify the presence and concentration of these constituents.