Hyperspectral identification of egg fertility and gender
First Claim
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1. A non-invasive method for detecting the present condition of an avian egg, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a test measurement with a hyperspectral camera by measuring, at a predefined portion of a field of view of the hyperspectral camera, an amount of light of at least one predetermined wavelength corresponding to a reflectance or transmittance feature of an avian egg;
comparing the test measurement to a reference measurement at substantially the same predetermined wavelength;
confirming presence of an avian egg within the field of view of said camera when a difference between the test measurement and the reference measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold;
obtaining, with the hyperspectral camera, at least one spectrum of the confirmed avian egg over a predetermined wavelength range;
using a neural network algorithm to compare said spectrum with a predefined database of spectra defining possible values of said present condition; and
,using the results of said comparison to assess the present condition of said avian egg.
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Abstract
A hyperspectral method for detecting the present condition of an avian egg is disclosed in which a neural network algorithm is used to compare the spectrum of a test egg against a spectral library. The method can detect fertility with greater than 90% reliability on the day of laying and the gender of the chick with greater than 75% reliability on the 12th day after laying.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A non-invasive method for detecting the present condition of an avian egg, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a test measurement with a hyperspectral camera by measuring, at a predefined portion of a field of view of the hyperspectral camera, an amount of light of at least one predetermined wavelength corresponding to a reflectance or transmittance feature of an avian egg; comparing the test measurement to a reference measurement at substantially the same predetermined wavelength; confirming presence of an avian egg within the field of view of said camera when a difference between the test measurement and the reference measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold; obtaining, with the hyperspectral camera, at least one spectrum of the confirmed avian egg over a predetermined wavelength range; using a neural network algorithm to compare said spectrum with a predefined database of spectra defining possible values of said present condition; and
,using the results of said comparison to assess the present condition of said avian egg. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for non-invasively determining the present condition of at least one avian egg, said apparatus comprising:
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a sample holder comprising; an outer casing operable to exclude ambient light; an inner casing that defines a test volume; means for introducing at least one fiber optic cable into the interior of said sample holder; and
,means for separating at least part of the upper portion of said sample holder from the lower portion of said sample holder; a hyperspectral camera configured to capturing a spectrum from an avian egg placed within said sample holder; data transfer means for transferring said at least one spectrum to a computing device; computing means installed on said computing device, adapted to analyze said at least one spectrum according to a predetermined algorithm, the algorithm comprising; obtaining a test measurement captured by the hyperspectral camera, at a predefined portion of a field of view of the hyperspectral camera, of an amount of light of at least one predetermined wavelength corresponding to a reflectance or transmittance feature of an avian egg; comparing the test measurement to a reference measurement at substantially the same predetermined wavelength; confirming presence of an avian egg within the field of view when a difference between the test measurement and the reference measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold; obtaining from the hyperspectral camera at least one spectrum of the confirmed avian egg over a predetermined wavelength range; using a neural network algorithm to compare said spectrum with a predefined database of spectra defining possible values of said present condition; and
,using the results of said comparison to assess the present condition of said avian egg.
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16. An apparatus for non-invasively determining the present condition of at least one avian egg, said apparatus comprising:
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a sample holder comprising; a casing; two substantially parallel rods rotatably mounted within said casing and arranged to support an avian egg placed thereupon; at least one motor in mechanical connection with said rods, said at least one motor adapted to rotate each of said rods about its longitudinal axis; light admitting means for admitting light emitted by a light source into said casing, said light admitting means disposed such that at least a portion of said light illuminates an avian egg placed upon said rods; and
,means for admitting one end of a fiber optic cable into said casing such that at least a portion of said light admitted via said light admitting means and reflected from said avian egg enters said fiber optic cable, wherein rotation of said avian egg enables collection of spectral data from the entire circumference of said avian egg; a hyperspectral camera configured to capturing a spectrum from an avian egg placed within said sample holder; data transfer means for transferring said at least one spectrum to a computing device; and
,computing means installed on said computing device, adapted to analyze said at least one spectrum according to a predetermined algorithm, the algorithm comprising; obtaining a test measurement captured by the hyperspectral camera, at a predefined portion of a field of view of the hyperspectral camera, of an amount of light of at least one predetermined wavelength corresponding to a reflectance or transmittance feature of an avian egg; comparing the test measurement to a reference measurement at substantially the same predetermined wavelength; confirming presence of an avian egg within the field of view when a difference between the test measurement and the reference measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold; obtaining from the hyperspectral camera at least one spectrum of the confirmed avian egg over a predetermined wavelength range; using a neural network algorithm to compare said spectrum with a predefined database of spectra defining possible values of said present condition; and
,using the results of said comparison to assess the present condition of said avian egg.
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Specification