Verily Life Sciences LLC

Robert Sobecki

Charles Behling

Peter Massaro

Tiantian Zha

Brian Wasson

Roman L Devengenzo

Victor Criswell

Gabriella Levine

Timothy John Prachar

One example insect release device includes a vessel defining a volume, the vessel has first and second surfaces substantially opposite each other, the first surface defining an opening into the volume; a population of insect larvae or pupae or adult insects within the volume; and a seal positioned to obstruct the opening and adhered to the first surface. Another example insect release device includes a vessel defining a volume; a population of insect larvae or pupae or adult insects disposed within the volume; wherein the vessel is permanently sealed, and wherein release of the insect larvae or pupae or adult insects occurs upon rupture of the vessel. A further example insect release device includes a vessel defining a volume; a population of insects disposed within the volume; and a gimbal mechanism coupled to the vessel, the gimbal configured to maintain a substantially constant orientation of the vessel.

Insect release devices

A sieving device is described. The sieving device includes an adjustable sieve surface that includes a first sieve surface and a second sieve surface. Openings are formed in each of the first sieve surface and the second sieve surface so as to define a shared pathways extending through the adjustable sieve surface. The shared pathways are defined by a length dimension that is greater than a width dimension. The width dimension can correspond to a cephalothorax width of an insect.

Sieving devices for pupae separation

Embodiments of the present disclosure can provide an automated mass rearing system for insect larvae. The automated mass rearing system can facilitate hatching, feeding, monitoring the growth and emergence of insect larvae and pupae. In some embodiments, the automated mass rearing system can include a production unit, a transportation unit, a storage unit, a dispensing unit, and a monitoring unit. In some embodiments, this automated mass rearing system can facilitate mass mosquito growth from egg hatching all the way through to full adults or certain stages in between such as the larvae rearing process (i.e., from larvae to pupae) with little or no human intervention. By automating the rearing and transportation of insect eggs, larvae, and pupae, deaths or developmental issues can be minimized. Various techniques and apparatuses are used in this automation that causes minimal disturbance to the insects during development, and thereby maximizing survival rate and fitness of the insects.

Automated mass rearing system for insect larvae

A male population of mosquito pupae sorted according to a sorting method is described. The sorting method may include adding a mixed population of mosquito pupae into an interior volume of a sieving container including base defining a set of openings enabling movement of mosquito pupae from the interior volume through the set of openings. The mixed population of mosquito pupae may include male mosquito pupae and female mosquito pupae. The method may also include adding a volume of aqueous solution to the interior volume. The method may also include removing a portion of the male pupae from the mixed population of mosquito pupae to by performing a sieving action that causes the portion of the male pupae and a portion of the volume of water to pass from the interior volume through the set of openings. The method may also include capturing the portion of the male pupae as the male population of mosquito pupae after the portion of the male pupae has passed through the set of openings.

Sieving apparatuses for pupae separation

A sieving apparatus for separating insect pupa is described. In an example, the sieving apparatus includes a sieving device attached to an actuation system. The sieving device includes a set of openings sized to correspond to a cross-sectional cephalothorax width of a representative pupa of a population of insect pupae to be separated. The actuation system is configured to move the sieving device in a manner that causes smaller insect pupae to pass through the set of openings. Larger insect pupae remain within the sieving device. Such movement can include moving the sieving device with respect to a liquid held in a basin of the sieving apparatus.

Systems and methods for a mosquito fitness tester are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: a rotatable enclosure comprising an enclosed cavity; a powertrain to rotate the rotatable enclosure in one or more axes; and one or more sensors to monitor one or more insects in the enclosed cavity.

Systems and methods for a mosquito fitness tester

A sieving device is described. The sieving device includes a sieve surface attached to a sieve rim. A set of openings is formed in the sieve surface so as to define a set of pathways extending through the sieve surface. The set of opening are defined by a length dimension that is greater than a width dimension. When the sieve surface is submerged in a liquid, a first pupa having a first cephalothorax width that is less than the width dimension is free to move through any one of the set of openings, and a second pupa having a second cephalothorax width that is greater than the width dimension is prevented from moving through the set of openings.

An emergence apparatus may include a container, a sensor, and a shutter. The sensor may be positioned proximate to an opening in the container to detect an adult insect entering or exiting the container. The sensor may also determine a sex of the adult insect. The shutter may also be positioned proximate to the opening to the container and may include an open position and a closed position to control access to the container in response to determining the sex of the adult insect or in response to determining a total number of adult insects of a particular sex within the container.

Pupae emergence apparatus

Systems and methods for automated release of insects are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: an insect storage device defining one or more internal compartments to store a population of insects; a loading mechanism for loading the insect storage device with a population of insects; and an insect release device coupled to the loading mechanism and configured to release into an environment one or more insects from the population of insects in the insect storage device.

Mobile insect release system

Systems and methods for mobile automated mass release of insects

A sieving method for separating insect pupae is described. The method may include causing an actuation system of a sieving apparatus to cycle between a first elevation and a second elevation to cyclically submerge a sieve surface of a sieving device in a liquid held within a basin so as to separate a population of insect pupae present in the sieving device with respect to size. The method may also include causing actuation of one or more valves to drain the liquid from the basin in order to retrieve a first part of the population of insect pupae. Corresponding computer-readable devices and systems that perform the sieving method are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Brisbane, CA, United States of America

Robert Sobecki