The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2021

Filed:

Sep. 07, 2016
Applicant:

American Science and Engineering, Inc., Billerica, MA (US);

Inventors:

Aaron Couture, Reading, MA (US);

Calvin Adams, Pelham, NH (US);

Rafael Fonseca, Haverhill, MA (US);

Jeffrey Schubert, Somerville, MA (US);

Richard Mastronardi, Medfield, MA (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 23/00 (2006.01); G01N 23/203 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 23/203 (2013.01); B25J 9/1628 (2013.01); G01N 33/0098 (2013.01); G01N 2223/612 (2013.01); G01N 2223/613 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods for characterizing living plants, wherein one or more beams of penetrating radiation such as x-rays are scanned across the plant under field conditions. Compton scatter is detected from the living plant and processed to derive characteristics of the living plant such as water content, root structure, branch structure, xylem size, fruit size, fruit shape, fruit aggregate volume, cluster size and shape, fruit maturity and an image of a part of the plant. Ground water content is measured using the same technique. Compton backscatter is used to guide a robotic gripper to grasp a portion of the plant such as for harvesting a fruit.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…