Dairymaster

Alcatel Lucent

Gencell Biosystems Limited

John Gerard Daly

Edmond Patrick Harty

Liam Eoghan Mullane

Christopher Kinsella

Edmond Patrick Harty, Jr

Kieran Curran

Brian T Chawke

David McGuire

Brian Barrett

Noel Sirr

Mark McCabe

John Harty

Maria O'Connor

Shane Joseph Burns

David Jeremiah Fleming

Nick Jeffers

Keith Mooney

Colin King

Maria Kerin

Kevin Daulnay

Padraig Walsh

Mark Dalton

Alan Hanley

Daniel Riordan

Niall O Mahony

Joseph Walsh

A method and apparatus () for operating a rotary milking platform () to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The milking platform () is rotated about a central vertical axis () by a variable speed motor (), and comprises a plurality of animal accommodating locations () for the animals being milked. An entry position () and an exit position () accommodate animals to and from the platform (). A position sensor () monitors the angular position of the platform (). An RFID sensor () reads the identity of animals entering the platform (). Historical data relating to milking time per milking session and the milk yield per animal per session is stored in an electronic memory (). A microprocessor () reads signals from flow meters () which monitor the milk flow from milking clusters of each animal accommodating location (). The microprocessor () is configured as each animal enters the platform () to compute an optimum angular velocity for the platform () in order to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time. The optimum angular velocity is computed as a function of the historical data of each animal on the platform (), and the current milk yield of each animal on the milking platform () determined from the flow meter ().

Method and apparatus for operating a rotary milking platform to maximise the number of animals milked per unit time and a rotary milking platform

A rotary milking platform () comprises a platform () having a circular carrier beam () secured to the underside of the platform (). The carrier beam () is supported on a plurality of support elements (), each of which comprise a freely rotatable roller () which is configured to rollably engage an under surface () of the carrier beam (). Each support element () comprises an anchor plate () adjustably mounted on a corresponding ground engaging element () which is secured to the ground. A carrier plate () is carried on four guide bolts () extending upwardly from the anchor plate (). Side members () extending downwardly from the carrier plate () rotatably carry the roller (). Compression springs () acting between abutment washers () secured to the guide bolts () and the carrier plate () urge the carrier plate () against heads () of the guide bolts (). The compression springs () accommodate downward and upward movement of the roller () in order to accommodate rising and falling of the under surface () of the beam (). The compression springs () permit tilting movement of the roller () about a tilt axis () which extends in the direction of motion of the beam () in order to facilitate tilting of the roller () to follow any non-horizontality of the under surface () of the beam (). The tilt axis is located just below a line of contact () of the roller () with the under surface () of the beam () to minimise lateral movement of the roller relative to the beam () as the roller () tilts about the tilt axis.

Support element and a method for supporting an elongated beam, and a rotary platform

A device () for determining the mass flow rate of milk turbulently flowing with air in a pipe () in pulsed milk slugs comprises sampling a signal from a microphone () of the device () indicative of sonic signals produced by the milk flow. The sampled signals are read by a microprocessor () which applies a Fast Fourier Transform to the sampled signal to produce the frequency domain of the sampled signal. The microprocessor () is configured to compute the average energy value of the sampled signal in the frequency bandwidth of 6 kHz to 15 kHz during consecutive monitoring periods. The average energy values are inserted into a calibration equation, which may be a power law equation, a polynomial equation, a logarithmic equation or any other such suitable equation in order to convert the average energy value to a mass flow rate of the milk flowing through the pipeduring that predefined monitoring period. The total mass flow of milk flowing through the pipeline () during a period from Tto Tis determined by integrating the determined mass flow rate of the milk from the time Tto the time T. Disengagement of a milking cluster from the teats of an animal as a result of kick-off during milking is also determined when the monitored signal from the microphone () transitions from the signal indicative of milk flowing in pulsed slugs to a continuous relatively high energy noise signal indicative of air being continuously drawn through the pipeline.

Method and a device for determining the mass flow rate and the presence or absence of a liquid flowing in a pipe

An electronic monitoring device for attaching to an animal includes an NFC module facilitating wireless communication between a smart phone and the monitoring device, an accelerometer for monitoring acceleration of the head of the animal, and a microprocessor which determines various states of the animal from signals received from the accelerometer. The smart phone is programmed by a software application which allows an identifying code of the monitoring device to be read from the memory chip and cross-referenced in the smart phone with the identity of an animal, which can be inputted into the smart phone. Data relating to the states(s) of the animal can be read from the microprocessor through the NFC module into the smart phone. Additionally, data relating to the animal stored in a cloud server corresponding to the state or states of the animal is downloaded from the cloud server by the smart phone.

Method for communicating with an electronic device and an electronic device locatable on or in an animal

A device () attached to the neck () of an animal () comprises an accelerometer () which produces first and second signals indicative of movement of the animal () and the raised and lowered states of the head of the animal. A microprocessor () in the device () processes the first and second signals to detect ruminating, resting, feeding and three activity states of the animal during respective second predefined time periods of approximately 15 minutes duration. Data indicative of the states of the animal is stored by the microprocessor () in the device () and periodically transmitted to a cloud computer server which further processes the data to determine various health states and other issues of the animal.

Method, a device and a system for detecting a state of an animal

A device () attached to the neck () of an animal () comprises an accelerometer () which produces first and second signals indicative of the raised and lowered state of the head () of the animal () and movement of the animal (). A microprocessor () in the device () processes the first and second signals to determine if the animal is ruminating, resting, feeding or in a highly active state during respective second predefined time periods of approximately 15 minutes duration. Data indicative of the ruminating, resting, feeding and the highly active state of the animal is stored by the microprocessor () in the device () and is periodically wirelessly communicated to a base station computer which further processes the data to determine various health states of the animal.

Method, a device and a system for determining a state of an animal

The mass flow rate of milk flowing in a pipe in pulsed milk slugs is determined by sampling a signal from a microphone indicative of sonic signals produced by the milk flow. A microprocessor applies a Fast Fourier Transform to the sampled signal to produce the frequency domain of the sampled signal. The microprocessor computes the average energy value of the sampled signal in a relevant frequency band during consecutive monitoring periods. The average energy values are inserted into a calibration equation to convert the average energy value to a mass flow rate. The total mass flow of milk flowing through the pipeline during a period T-Tis determined by integrating the determined mass flow rate of milk from T-T. Disengagement of a milking cluster from the animal teats during milking is determined when the monitored microphone signal transitions to a continuous relatively high energy noise signal indicative of air.

Aspects of the present disclosure include a complete genomic analysis device and methods of use thereof for high throughput genomic analysis of biological samples.

Genomic analysis device and methods of use

Complete nucleic acid library preparation devices are provided. Aspects of the devices include: a thermal chip module comprising multiple CLC reaction wells; one or more plate locations; a robotically controlled liquid handler configured to transfer liquid between the one or more plate locations and the thermal chip module; and a bulk reagent dispenser configured to access each CLC reaction well of the thermal chip module.

Benchtop nucleic acid library preparation device and methods for using the same

An electronic monitoring device () for attaching to an animal () for determining a plurality of states of an animal (). The monitoring device () comprises an NFC module () which facilitates wireless communication between a smart phone () and the monitoring device (). The monitoring device () comprises an accelerometer () for monitoring acceleration of the head () of the animal (). A microprocessor () determines various states of the animal from signals received from the accelerometer (). The smart phone () is programmed by a software application which allows an identifying code of the monitoring device () to be read from the memory chip () and cross-referenced in the smart phone () with the identity of an animal, which can be inputted into the smart phone (). Data relating to the state or states of the animal can be read from the microprocessor () through the NFC module () wirelessly into the smart phone (). Additionally, data relating to the animal stored in a cloud computer server corresponding to the state or states of the animal is downloaded from the cloud computer server by the smart phone ().

A device, comprising a flow controller. The flow controller includes a body having walls that define a channel within the body, and a passive flow control valve. The passive control valve has a moveable member that includes a thermal shape memory material, the moveable member configured to change an aperture size in the channel in response to a reversible temperature-induced shape transformation of the thermal shape memory material.

Temperature control device with a passive thermal feedback control valve

A photonics assembly (-) is housed within an hermetically sealed container () mounted within an outer container (), and is cooled by a fluidic arrangement comprising a liquid flow path () defined between the outer container and the sealed container, the outer container having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet (), whereby cooling liquid can flow around the hermetically sealed container to remove heat. The photonics assembly including photonics devices, has a composite thermally conductive substrate () contacting a thermally conductive wall () of the sealed container, whereby the cooling liquid cools said photonics devices. Liquid flow passageways (-) are provided in wall () and substrate () for improving fluidic cooling.

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Tralee, Ireland

John Gerard Daly