15741results about "Animal housing" patented technology

An illuminating device coupled with sensors or an image acquisition device and a logical controller allows illumination intensity and spectrum to be varied according to changing user needs. The system provides illumination to areas according to the principles of correct lighting practice for the optimal performance of visual tasks in the most efficient, cost effective manner. Aspects of the invention include: lighting fixtures which adapt to ambient lighting, movement, visual tasks being performed, and environmental and personal conditions affecting illumination requirements at any given instant. Lighting fixtures having spatial distribution of spectrum and intensity, providing both “background” room lighting, and “task” lighting.

A method of rendering materials having hard and soft surfaces hydrophilic or more hydrophilic is disclosed. The method involves hydrophilizing such materials by applying a high energy treatment and charged particles and / or one or more hydrophilic polymeric materials with discrete charges to such materials.

Molecular cross-linked gels comprise a variety of biologic and non-biologic polymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and synthetic polymers. Such molecular gels may be applied to target sites in a patient's body by extruding the gel through an orifice at the target site. Alternatively, the gels may be mechanically disrupted and used in implantable articles, such as breast implants. When used in vivo, the compositions are useful for inhibiting post-surgical spinal and other tissue adhesions, for filling tissue divots, tissue tracts, body cavities, surgical defects, and the like.

A silk nanofiber composite network produced by forming a solution of silk fiber and hexafluroisopropanol, wherein the step of forming is devoid of any acid treatment, where the silk solution has a concentration of about 0.2 to about 1.5 weight percent silk in hexafluroisopropanol, and where the silk is selected from Bombyx mori silk and Nephila clavipes silk; and electrospinning the solution, thereby forming a non-woven network of nanofibers having a diameter in the range from about 2 to about 2000 nanometers.

At least first and second thermostats may be operably coupled to one another and are capable of sharing their target temperatures and their temperature signals. The first thermostat may provide a thermostatic control signal to the air temperature control system. In some embodiments at least one thermostat further comprises a target-temperature-modifying occupant presence detector. Some embodiments further comprise first and second air movement control devices operably coupled to and controlled by the first and second thermostats, respectively. The operation of the stages of a multistage air temperature control system may be controlled.

A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end-product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.

A method and apparatus is provided for a multiple light-source illuminating device, the design and construction of which is derived from the lighting requirements of a specific lighting application. The resulting illuminating device (16) provides illumination according to the principles of lighting practice for the optimal performance of visual tasks. Coupling with sensors (21) and logical control (20) allows illumination intensity and spectrum to be varied according to changing user needs. The illuminating device includes multiple discrete light emitting components of different spatial intensity distribution and color spectrum mounted in specific orientations such that the application oriented combined lighting effect is created. The control is provided via a differentiated power supply (19) capable of affecting the current, voltage and duty cycle determining the relative contribution of each light source effecting a different spatial intensity distribution and color spectrum.

An environment control system for controlling the temperature in a room, the system comprises a heating and cooling system; a thermostat for monitoring the temperature within a room and controlling the heating and cooling system; a motion sensor for detecting whether a door or window to the room has been opened; a presence detector for detecting whether the room is currently occupied; and a control system in communication with the thermostat, the motion sensor, and the presence detector, the control system being configured to control the room's temperature via the thermostat based at least in part on signals received from the thermostat, the motion detector and the presence detector, the control system being configured to cause the heating and cooling system to operate in a power savings mode when the room is unoccupied based on a series of time cycles during which the heating and cooling system is turned on or off as dictated by a plurality of temperature thresholds.

A sheet made of a polyester which includes monomer units of terephthaloyl moieties, ethylene glycol moieties and isosorbide moieties is described. The polyester has an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.35 dL / g when measured as a 1% (weight / volume) solution of said polyester in o-chlorophenol at a temperature of 25 DEG C. The present invention also relates to a method of making the polyester sheet described above and a method of thermoforming the sheet into articles.

In general, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for finding the position and shape of an object using video. The invention includes a system with a video camera coupled to a computer in which the computer is configured to automatically provide object segmentation and identification, object motion tracking (for moving objects), object position classification, and behavior identification. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may use background subtraction for object identification and tracking, probabilistic approach with expectation-maximization for tracking the motion detection and object classification, and decision tree classification for behavior identification. Thus, the present invention is capable of automatically monitoring a video image to identify, track and classify the actions of various objects and the object's movements within the image. The image may be provided in real time or from storage. The invention is particularly useful for monitoring and classifying animal behavior for testing drugs and genetic mutations, but may be used in any of a number of other surveillance applications.

A fiber is obtainable from or comprises an ethylene / α-olefin interpolymer characterized by an elastic recovery, Re, in percent at 300 percent strain and 1 cycle and a density, d, in grams / cubic centimeter, wherein the elastic recovery and the density satisfy the following relationship: Re>1481−1629(d). Such interpolymer can also be characterized by other properties. The fibers made therefrom have a relatively high elastic recovery and a relatively low coefficient of friction. The fibers can be cross-linked, if desired. Woven or non-woven fabrics can be made from such fibers.

Abstract of Disclosure A system and method used to assess animal behavior includes a module having sensors that collects a variety of physical and biological data from a test subject. Interpretation of the data is provided to assess the test subject's behavior, neurology, biochemistry and physiology. The module is useful in observing the effects of a drug on the test animal and providing information on the drug's signature. Another advantage is module's portability that allows it to be used in standard laboratory cages. This portability allows the animal to be tested in its own habitat, that can reduce any erroneous data due to stressing the animal when removed to a test cage. Additionally, the module's design allows for parallel data collection and interpretation from several laboratory animals undergoing different experiments. Multi-dimensional modeling of the test subject based the system's interpretation of the data allows pattern recognition of the drug signature, and predictive drug analysis.

An improved comfort product that uses an airflow through a heat exchanger and into the comfort product to selectively heat or cool an occupant has a support layer contacting and supporting a channel layer. The channel layer has at least one channel with an opening to accept air. The channel layer contacts and supports an engineered distribution layer that has numerous small holes making it air permeable. The engineered distribution layer contacts and supports an air permeable comfort layer that is of such size and shape to support an occupant of the comfort product. The comfort product also has a heat exchanger assembly for supplying heated or cooled air to the opening in the channel. The heat exchanger assembly includes an air intake having an intake fan, an exhaust outlet and a heat exchanger for selectively heating or cooling air flowing through the heat exchanger resulting in selectively heated or cooled supply air and exhaust air. The intake fan forces air through the heat exchanger where some of the air is selectively heated or cooled to be supplied to the comfort product and some air is used as exhaust air (to remove the unwanted heat if the supplied air is cooled or to warm the exhaust side of the heat exchanger if the supply air is warmed.). The selectively heated or cooled supply air then moves through the channels in the channel layer and the exhaust air exits through the exhaust vent. The selectively heated or cooled supply air then moves through the engineered distribution layer where the numerous small holes diffuse the air and then the selectively heated or cooled air then moves through the comfort layer where the air is further diffused and where the selectively heated or cooled air can selectively heat or cool an occupant of the comfort product.

Composite particles and methods for making the same. An absorbent material is formed into a particle. An optional performance-enhancing active is coupled to the absorbent material before, during, or after the particle-forming process, homogeneously and / or in layers. Additionally, the composite absorbent particle may include a core material. Preferred methods for creating the absorbent particles include a pan agglomeration process, a high shear agglomeration process, a low shear agglomeration process, a high pressure agglomeration process, a low pressure agglomeration process, a rotary drum agglomeration process, a mix muller process, a roll press compaction process, a pin mixer process, a batch tumble blending mixer process, an extrusion process, and a fluid bed process.

The invention provides reinforced aerogel monoliths as well as reinforced composites thereof for a variety of uses. Compositions and methods of preparing the monoliths and composites are also provided. Application of these materials in transparent assemblies is also discuss.

An arrangement for performing an animal-related action on an animal includes a position determining component having a detector and a processing unit for determining the position of an animal part to be subjected to the animal-related action, and a performance component such as an animal handling unit or milking robot for performing the animal-related action. The position determining component is located at a first location including a station for housing an animal and the performance component is located at a second location including a station for housing an animal at a distance from the first location. A signal line is provided for transferring the coordinates of the position determined at the first location to the performance component at the second location in order to enable the performance of the action with regard to the animal part.

In an automatic milking installation including a robot arm (2) with a gripper (3) for attaching teat cups (4) to the teats of an animal, e.g. a cow, to be milked, for applying a teat dip to the teats after milking different members, such as spray nozzles (5a, 5b), dipping cups (5c, 5d) and sponge or cloth rollers (5e), are provided for applying different teat dip compositions. Under the control of a computer, the robot arm collects the member (5) appropriate for supplying the selected composition and takes it to a position appropriate for application of that composition. The selection can e effected in dependence upon the teat skin condition, e.g. detected by a camera (15) and / or environmental conditions.

The assemblies of the invention can comprise a fine fiber layer having dispersed within the fine fiber layer an active particulate material. Fluid that flows through the assemblies of the invention can have any material dispersed or dissolved in the fluid react with, be absorbed by, or adsorbed onto, the active particulate within the nanofiber layer. The structures of the invention can act simply as reactive, absorptive, or adsorptive layers with no filtration properties, or the structures of the invention can be assembled into filters that can filter particulate from a mobile fluid while simultaneously reacting, absorbing, or adsorbing materials from the mobile fluid.

Systems, methods, and computer code products for monitoring the behavior, health, and / or characteristics of an animal are disclosed herein. In one implementation, the animal is positioned inside a waste container placed on a system that is adapted to determine, record and communicate over a network various animal health parameters. These parameters can be processed to determine trends, statistics and changes of animal physiological functions. The results can be used to access animal health conditions and issue warnings, alarms, messages, and other notifications to designated caretakers. These notifications may be displayed using various means such as computers and / or mobile devices. Data retrieval and review capability can provide improved understanding of an animal's health conditions and facilitate early illness detection.

A rotary parlour for milking of animals includes an annular rotary platform (20) adapted to form a support surface (18) for the animals (22), positioning elements (19, 23) for arranging the animals (1) in milking positions on the platform (20), a drive mechanism (30) adapted to supply a rotational motion to the platform (20), and teat cup storing devices (11) for holding parked teat cups (2, 2′) in predetermined storing positions. The teat cup storing devices (11) are mounted in positions such that the teat cups (2, 2′) are located vertically above the platform (20) in their storing positions.

An arrangement is provided for attaching teat cups to teats of a milking animal in a rotary milking system having a milking stall for housing the milking animal during milking. The arrangement comprises a three-dimensional camera configured to be directed towards the udder of the milking animal in the milking stall and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the udder of the milking animal in real time. The three-dimensional camera is further configured to be directed towards the teat cups located in a magazine and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the teat cups in real time. The arrangement also includes an image processing device configured to repeatedly detect the teats of the milking animal and determine the positions of the teats in three spatial dimensions based on said repeatedly recorded three-dimensional images of the teats. The image processing device is also configured to repeatedly detect the plurality of teat cups and determine the positions of the teat cups in three spatial dimensions based on said repeatedly recorded three-dimensional images of the teat cups located in the magazine. The arrangement also includes a control device configured to control a robot arm, based on the determined positions of the teats of the milking animal and the determined positions of the teat cups, to automatically attach at least one teat cup to at least one teat of the milking animal in the milking stall.

The present invention has objectives of providing a low-cost, easy-to-handle individual isolation animal breeding unit and a system for using the same, significantly reducing costs of facilities and maintenance for animal experiments and saving on labor, and providing a new animal transportation form (breeding cage having a transportation function). For achieving the objectives, the present invention provides a system for maintaining an animal breeding environment, comprising A) an animal breeding unit capable of comprising an internal tray having a sufficient space for breeding an animal of interest, comprising an external tray capable of accommodating the internal tray, and capable of keeping a predetermined cleanliness degree; B) means for providing the internal tray having the predetermined cleanliness degree; C) an internal tray exchange unit capable of accommodating the animal breeding unit and exchanging the internal tray while keeping the predetermined cleanliness degree; and D) means for recovering the exchanged internal tray.

A highly automated non-confining system to continuously, or at selected time intervals identify, measure, monitor and manage the consumption behavior, substance intake, body weight and growth of individual animals in their usual production environment including range, pasture, feedlot, dairy and farm without disruption to typical behaviors in order to determine, analyze, model and predict a variety of conditions relating to animal health, productivity, efficiency and quality. A transmitter generally attached to the animal identifies the individual animal by a unique individual code. A weighing device measures animal weight while an animal is consuming substances. An antenna receives the unique signal from the transmitter and a transmitting and receiving device sends acquired signals to a computer and receives instructions from a computer. A computer acquires signals and modification factors incorporated in the computer generate an event or interval measurement of an animal's weight and gain, growth rate and substance consumption, and the animal behavior affecting the measurement. A visual identification mechanism marks cattle that the computer system has determined require intervention. The system models and predicts animal health and growth, performance, carcass characteristics, feed utilization, manure and methane output.

A rotary parlour for automatic milking of animals includes an annular rotary platform (2) adapted to form a support surface for the animals (1), driving element (9) for supplying a rotary motion to the platform (2), positioning element for arranging the animals in predetermined milking positions (3) on the platform, in which an longitudinal axis (1a) of the animals forms an angle to the direction of motion (1b) of the animals standing on the rotary platform (2), and a robot arm (13) adapted to attach teat cups (7a) to the teats of an animal (1) which has entered a milking position (3) on the platform (2). The entire robot arm (13) is located in a working position vertically above or on the platform (2) when it attaches the teat cups to the teats of the animals (1).

A milking parlor (10) comprises a row of stalls (14) accessible to milk producing animals (12) from a front end (14a) thereof, and adapted for milking the animals; and an identification station (20) arranged in the front end for identifying the animals when entering the parlor. A method of verifying the identities of the animals in the row comprises: (i) identifying the animals in the stall located at the far end (14b) of the row, in the stall located at the front end (14a) of the row, and in a stall located there in between by first, second and third identification members (24, 26, 28); (ii) comparing the identifications of the first, second, and third identification members (24, 26, 28) with the first, last and n'th identifications from the identification station (20), where the stall located between the far and front ends is the n'th stall as counted from the far end (14b); and (iii) depending on the comparison verifying the identities of at least some of the animals (12) in the row (14).

A bedding article for a domestic animal comprising an outer textile casing defining a geometric shape for supporting a domestic animal, an inner filling, and a microbe-inhibiting agent or property applied to at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling. The bedding article may be fabricated in various shapes, designs, and styles; e.g., rectangular, circular, elliptical, with or without upstanding side walls, etc. A process for applying the microbe-inhibiting agent or property to at least one on the outer textile casing and the inner filling is provided. Application methods include spraying, dipping, brushing, and rolling the microbe-inhibiting agent or property onto at least one of the outer textile casing and the inner filling. An alternative embodiment includes an outer textile casing defining a geometric shape for supporting a domestic animal, an inner filling, a lining therebetween, and a microbe-inhibiting agent or property applied to at least one of the outer textile casing, the inner lining, and the inner filling.