Feeding Device Research Articles

Reliable Smart Pet Feeding Machine Using Arduino Uno Starter Kit

Pet feeding can be done manually by pet owners, or automatically with the help of the pet feeders. The main concerns here are to solve the issue of unavailability of pet owners and the hygiene aspect in pet feeding. The developed automated system enables pet owners to feed their pets while they are away. The main objective of operating this research is to develop an automated pet feeding device focusing on in house pets by utilizing Arduino Uno as its Central Processing Unit (CPU) or microcontroller which function to control a weight sensor (load cells) and a servo motor. Smart Pet Feeding Machine is an automated pet feeding device designed to run based on weight mechanism. It will automatically dispense pet foods when minimum amount of pet food weight is triggered and will automatically stop dispensing when it reaches maximum amount of weight. Its architectural design includes a vertical storage compartment to store pet foods, a square opening at the bottom of storage compartment as opening for dispensing, a motorized dispenser and an aluminium bowl to place dispensed pet foods. The motion of dispenser is operated by a servo motor attached to the dispenser.

Passive orientation of the parts in the mechanical disk hopper feeding device with an annular orientator and radial grooves

The paper considers mathematical models describing the process of passive orientation of axisymmetric parts in the form of the bodies of rotation with implicit asymmetry at the ends in the mechanical disk hopper feeding device with an annular orientator and radial grooves made on a rotating disk. The developed mathematical models make it possible to estimate the boundary conditions under which the reliable orientation of the parts and the time of orientation of the parts will be ensured, depending on the geometric parameters of the part, the coefficient of sliding friction of the part against the guide surfaces, the structural and kinematic parameters of the hopper feeding device.

Acute pancreatitis after gastro-jejunal tube placement in patient with severe scoliosis

We herein report a 14-year-old cerebral palsy patient with severe scoliosis who developed acute pancreatitis, just after the insertion of a gastro-jejunal tube (GJT) to carry out jejunal feeding. The patient underwent laparoscopic fundoplication and gastrostomy as a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease. After surgery, the patient developed leakage and gastrostomy feeding difficulty overtime, subsequently, GJT feeding through an established gastrostomy was initiated. However, the patient developed acute pancreatitis two days after the insertion of a GJT. Computed tomography showed peri-pancreas massive edema and that duodenum had become apparently displaced due to the patient's pre-existing scoliosis. Furthermore, it looked like that the direct compression to the whole pancreas had possibly been occurred by the inserted GJT. The occurrence of GJT related pancreatitis was suspected, and subsequently, the pancreatitis improved after the removal of the GJT. The patient thereafter underwent gastro-jejunal bypass surgery. A GJT is a useful device for jejunal feeding which can be inserted from an established gastrostomy, however, its usage should be limited because of a high rate of morbidity. In patient with cerebral palsy, especially combined with severe scoliosis, we should recognize that the insertion of GJT can cause acute pancreatitis due to the risk of direct compression to the patient's pancreas by the GJT.

Multi-robot multi-operator collaborative assembly systems: a performance evaluation model

In the last decade, collaborative assembly systems (CAS) are becoming increasingly common due to their ability to merge the flexibility of a manual assembly system with the performance of traditional robotics. Technical constraints, e.g., dedicated tools or resources, or performance requirements, e.g., throughput, could encourage the use of a CAS built around a multi-robot and multi-operator layout, i.e., with a number of resources greater than 2. Starting from the development of a prototype multi-robot multi-operator collaborative workcell, a simulation environment was developed to evaluate the makespan and the degree of collaboration in multi-robot multi-operator CAS. From the simulation environment, a mathematical model was conceptualized. The presented model allows estimating, with a certain degree of accuracy, the performances of the system. The results have investigated how several process characteristics, i.e. the number and type of resources, the resources layout, the task allocation method, and the number of feeding devices, influence the degree of collaboration between the resources. Lastly, the authors propose a compact analytic formulation, based on an exponential function, and define the methods and the influence factors to determine its parameters.

Development of a multi-adaptive feeding device for automated plug seedling transplanter

In order to improve the adaptability of the seedling feeding devices to different plug trays for various seedlings, a multi-adaptive plug seedling feeding device for automatic field transplantation was developed. Its efficiency and adaptability have been improved using a seedling delivery device equipped with a row of end-effectors, which were provided with continuous plug seedlings by a compact seedling tray conveyor carrying out a reciprocating action. Each operation for the seedling feeding device could work automatically through a control system. Three categories of plug seedlings, cucumber, pepper and tomato seedlings, were tested. The results of the performance test for the prototype demonstrated that the best performance emerged in the cucumber seedlings in 50-cell trays with the highest success rate of 88% at the feeding frequency of 6 groups/min. The lowest success rate was 73.33% for the tomato seedlings in 105-cell trays at the feeding frequency of 12 groups/min. It can be concluded that the automated feeding device developed in this study could be used for various plug seedlings as a result of its strong adaptability. Keywords: plug seedling, automated feeding device, vegetable transplanting, control system DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20211402.6003 Citation: Shao Y Y, Han X, Xuan G T, Liu Y, Gao C, Wang G P, et al. Development of a multi-adaptive feeding device for automated plug seedling transplanter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2021; 14(2): 91–96.

Numerical Analysis and Experimental Study on High Frequency Piezoelectric Feeding Device of Block Materials

According to the needs of ultrasonic vibration feeding, we developed an ultrasonic piezoelectric feeding device. The device with unrestricted length and width and the feeding speed is uniform. we analyzed feeding the boundary conditions and calculated the expression of the average feeding speed. Using ANSYS to analyze the relevant parameters of feeding vibrator, we made the piezoelectric feeding vibrator and carried out a series of experiments to test the feeding effect by using Laser Doppler vibrometry. The results showed that the amplitude of the first order longitudinal vibration is maximum when the excitation frequency is 34.7kHz; When the feeding device is at the excitation frequency and the driving voltage is 130V, the feeding effect of the heavy material with smooth surface is very good (M10×30 bolts, M20 nuts); Materials with rough surface and lighter than 0.5g have almost no feeding capacity (tablets and grains), and the feeding device has certain selectivity for materials; When the mass of material is 72g, the feeding speed can reach 60.45mm/s. The study provides a reference for the research of ultrasonic feeding device.

Development of the rational bottomhole assemblies of the directed well drilling

The problem of development of gas hydrate deposits is complicated by a range of problems connected with the adaptation of traditional methods and procedures to develop the mentioned type of raw materials. Construction methods of the directed well deserve high attention since they are the most efficient solution to provide a stable process of gas fraction production. Experts of the Dnipro University of Technology are at the top among the studies engaged in implementation and operation of gas hydrate deposits. Among other things, the experts have designed rational bottomhole assemblies of the directed drilling for the conditions of gas hydrate deposits. Such devices have a number of functional features. The paper describes following particularities being the most significant ones: a material to produce destructive balls and their physical properties; operating modes of a drilling process; directionality of bottomhole circulation processes as for the operational parameters of flushing fluids; and spatial location of well direction. Both calculations and bench tests favoured the process intended to identify functional features of the devices and proved convincingly the truthfulness of the initial theoretical foundations to drill the directed wells with the help of the modernized hydromechanical boring tool combined with a feeding device. The paper purpose is to analyze and substantiate structural solutions within the certain units of techniques for complex use as well as determine the rational operating schedules of the latter in the context of specific geological conditions where the directed wells are under construction.

Design of Auxiliary Feeding Device Based on Single Chip Microcomputer Control System

People’s daily life activities, such as eating, washing and dressing, are very important to the quality of life. However, for many people with disabilities, including those with upper limbs, these tasks prove to be challenging without the help of human caregivers. However, the shortage of medical workers and rising medical costs have created an urgent need for innovation, making aid more affordable and effective. A typical auxiliary task is dietary assistance, which is the basic daily necessities for maintaining health. People with upper limbs and limbs often have difficulty supporting themselves. Technical intervention can solve the problem by bridging the gap between physical ability and necessary functional ability. This design is based on a single-chip microcomputer control system-assisted feeding manipulator design, which can assist in completing the feeding function, and can also add voice or facial recognition modules to enhance the human-computer interaction experience. The design is mainly composed of editing controller-control and detection-power element. That is, the food is fed through a control program, transmitted to a target position through a power element, and whether feeding is completed is judged through a control and detection device. And we will try to add some functional modules to enhance the human-computer interaction experience.

Оцінка рівномірності розподілу та засміченості зерна при його багаторівневому введенні в пневмосепаруючий канал

The uniformity of grain distribution in a pneumatic separation channel is an important factor and it significantly affects the quality of grain cleaning. Indeed, with uneven feeding, impurities entering the pneumatic separating channel, to a large extent, are located in the middle or lower layers of grain flow, which impairs the possibility of their release into the settling chamber. Feeders are used to create a more uniform distribution of grain in the operating area of the pneumatic separating channel. They provide conditions under which grain material is fed into the air stream by a thin layer of directed jet. This feeding can significantly improve the interaction of the components of the input grain material with air, increasing the likelihood of their release, as well as minimize the contact of particles of the grain mixture, which significantly increases the efficiency of air flow. Based on the review and analysis of feeder designs, we have proposed a feeder for multi-level grain introduction. The use of such a feeder can significantly improve the quality of pneumo-separation, but there is a possibility of light impurities in the upper grain layers, which can affect the completeness of the separation of the purified grain. Experimental studies were conducted to determine the effect of multilevel introduction on the content of light impurities in the purified grain along the height of the pneumatic separation channel, as well as to analyze the distribution of grain mixture in the operating separation area. As a result of the conducted research it is determined that the number of involved levels of introduction of the feeding device influences the degree of clogging of the cleared grain, thus, uniformity of distribution of grain improves at increase in quantity of levels. In particular, when using up to 4 levels of the feeder under load qbi = 350 kg/dm•h at each level, the amount of light impurities entering the purified grain is not more than 3% of their total weight in the source material.

Influence of parameters on the smart productivity of modern metal casting process: An overview

In the advancement of smart production across all types of casting processes, this paper analyzes the importance of process parameters and the latest developments in modern tool development. Different influencing variables such as size, location and number of gates on feeding mechanisms were addressed in relation to casting defects. The study shows a decrease in the defects of the casting parts by selecting an optimized feed template such as air bubbles, blow cracks, shrinkage defects and mechanical properties. Factors affecting the hot spot location were found to be variations in the radius of fillets and the thickness of feeding devices. The mobility of the hot spot was therefore regulated by geometrical modifications in the feeding system. Additionally, by proper feeding system arrangement, the development of pinholes and solidification flaws could be minimized. The rapid growth in the use of simulation technology in the casting process would help to increase yields by reducing the cost of production. This article provides their industrial applications with a database relating to the merits and demerits of different factors and material systems in order to allow for more casting process research.

Multi-objective optimization design of wheat centralized seed feeding device based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm

In order to solve the problem of interaction between multiple evaluation indexes of seed metering performance under multiple factors of centralized seed feeding device, a multi-objective optimization of structure based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was proposed in this paper. The wheat centralized seed feeding device was taken as the research object, and the experimental factors were cone angle of type hole, working speed and seed filling gap. The working process of wheat centralized seed feeding device was simulated by discrete element method (DEM). The average seed number of type hole, the variation coefficient of the average seed number of type hole, and the maximum tangential force between seed and seed feeding mechanism were selected as the evaluation indexes. Through the variance analysis of the evaluation indexes by the experimental factors, the optimization objective function was constructed. Using PSO algorithm, the multi-objective optimization was carried out for the wheat centralized seed feeding device. The optimization results show that the best structural combination parameters of the wheat centralized seed feeding device are the hole cone angle of 31.6° and the seed filling gap of 4.6 mm. The validity of the method was verified by simulation and field test. The results show that the PSO algorithm multi-objective optimization method proposed in this paper can provide a reference for the structural improvement and optimal design of the centralized seed feeding device. Keywords: centralized seed feeding device, multi-objective, optimization, PSO algorithm DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201306.5665 Citation: Wang Q Q, Li Z D, Wang W W, Zhang C L, Chen L Q, Wan L. Multi-objective optimization design of wheat centralized seed feeding device based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(6): 76–84.

An improved method for in vitro feeding of adult female Dermanyssus gallinae (poultry red mite) using Baudruche membrane (goldbeater\u2019s skin)

BackgroundDermanyssus gallinae, or poultry red mite (PRM), is an important ectoparasite in laying hen, having a significant effect on animal welfare and potentially causing economic loss. Testing novel control compounds typically involves in vitro methodologies before in vivo assessments. Historically, in vitro methods have involved PRM feeding on hen blood through a membrane. The use of hen blood requires multiple procedures (bleeds) to provide sufficient material, and the use of a larger species (e.g. goose) could serve as a refinement in the use of animals in research.MethodsThe in vitro feeding device used was that which currently employs a Parafilm™ M membrane (Bartley et al.: Int J Parasitol. 45:819–830, 2015). Adult female PMR were used to investigate any differences in mite feeding, egg laying and mortality when fed goose or hen blood. Effects on these parameters when PRM were fed through either the Parafilm™ M membrane or the Baudruche membrane alone or through a combination of the membrane with an overlaid polyester mesh were tested using goose blood.ResultsPoultry red mites fed equally well on goose or hen blood through the Parafilm™ M membrane, and there were no significant differences in mortality of PRM fed with either blood type. A significant increase (t test: t = 3.467, df = 4, P = 0.03) in the number of eggs laid per fed mite was observed when goose blood was used. A 70% increase in PRM feeding was observed when the mites were fed on goose blood through a Baudruche membrane compared to when they were fed goose blood through the Parafilm™ M membrane. The addition of an overlaid polyester mesh did not improve feeding rates. A significant increase (analysis of variance: F(3, 20) = 3.193, P = 0.04) in PRM egg laying was observed in mites fed on goose blood through the Baudruche membrane compared to those fed goose blood through the Parafilm™ M membrane. A mean of 1.22 (standard error of the mean ± 0.04) eggs per fed mite was obtained using the Baudruche feeding device compared to only 0.87 (SEM ± 0.3) eggs per fed mite using the Parafilm™ M device when neither was combined with a polyester mesh overlay.ConclusionThe in vitro feeding of adult female PRM can be readily facilitated through the use of goose blood in feeding devices with the Baudruche membrane.Graphical

Automatic disassembly and recovery device for mobile phone circuit board CPU based on machine vision

Aiming at the problem of dismantling and recycling the circuit boards of used mobile phones, A device based on machine vision to automatically disassemble and recycle the CPU on the mobile phone circuit board is proposed. The device is equipped with a visual inspection system, a feeding device, a heating device, a CPU transfer device, a robot, and a visualization system to realize automatic disassembly and storage of the CPU on the mobile phone circuit board. Finally, experiments show that the device can achieve stable and reliable CPU disassembly and recovery.

Design and fabrication of screw feeding device in additive manufacturing

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a new manufacturing technique in which large metal components can be fabricated layer by layer. A method is related apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object under a computer-aided design of the object in a layer-by-layer but not point-by-point fashion. Providing a work surface lying substantially parallel feeding a first layer of a first powder to this work surface by screw feeding. Feeding a second layer of a second powder onto the first layer, repeating the feeding, spraying and directing steps to build successive layers along the Z-direction in a layer-wise fashion under the design for forming multiple layers of the object; the main objective of the paper is screw feeding setup and experimenting the microstructure, grain size & hardness of the manufactured composites with different reinforcement ratios.

In-situ gradient formation by direct solid addition of buffer components

Buffer preparation and storage requires a significant facility footprint in large scale bioprocessing and together with the costs of supply chain management can have a substantial economic impact. In-line buffer mixing in chromatography is commonly performed by blending different buffer solutions using at least two pumps and a static or dynamic mixer. We developed a device for an in-line gradient delivery of buffering agents directly from solids to be applied for chromatographic separation processes. A solid feeding device with a screw conveyor and a hold tank for the solids was designed and a miniaturized system was 3D printed. The coefficient of variation for the precision of the solid feeding of 5 different buffering agents was below 5% even for very small solid flow rates necessary for lab-scale chromatography. Stability was demonstrated by a constant linear solid feed at a very low dosing rate of 0.05 g.min−1 over 24 hours. We demonstrated the suitability for chromatography by directly connecting the system to a standard chromatography workstation for protein chromatography. The solids were fed into a miniaturized continuously stirred tank reactor connected to an ÄKTA purification system. The performance of the in-line gradient delivery of buffering agents directly from solids was compared to conventional in-line buffer mixing. We were able to achieve highly linear gradients for elution using only one pump of a chromatographic system, generating the gradient by the direct addition of solids avoiding the necessity of additional pumps and hold tanks. By direct conditioning of buffers and the addition of solids a simple, just in time, at site preparation of buffers was possible. The design of the feeding unit for solid addition for buffer preparation is easily scalable and adaptable to work with or as a replacement for already existing in-line dilution or conditioning units.

An efficient high-welfare feeding device for assessing northern fowl mite interventions in vivo: an improved method for the identification of protective antigens/systemic acaricides/repellent effect

The northern fowl mite (NFM), Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite of domestic and wild birds, and it is an economic pest of laying hen in North America, China, India, Australia, Myanmar, and Brazil. Such an economically important pest remains neglected in many parts of the world, including Asian countries. Therefore, concerted action is required in both basic and applied research directed at the biology and control of this destructive pest. In the present study, we have developed a novel, high-welfare in vivo feeding capsule that would permit pre-screening of new interventions, repellency and deterrence effects of plant-derived products and other semiochemical compounds before proceeding to large-scale field experiments/bioassays, while the minimum number of animals is required to obtain results. Mites were fed on the birds through either a mesh or without a mesh. The average feeding rates of mites was significantly higher when fed directly on chickens, whereas 106 μm nylon mesh was the top-performing mesh when compared with 125 μm aperture nylon mesh. For optimal feeding, the feeding capsules contain NFM and are attached to the skin of the chicken’s thigh for 6 h. This is a simple, reproducible, and easy approach and can be adapted to facilitate many aspects of bioassays.

Evaluation of the vaccine efficacy of three digestive protease antigens from Dermanyssus gallinae using an in vivo rearing system

The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is a hematophagous ectoparasite considered as the major pest in the egg-laying industry. Vaccination is feasible strategy for controlling the haematophagous PRMs. Cathepsin D (CatD), cathepsin L (CatL) and legumain (Lgm) are three endopeptidases participating in digestion of hemoglobin in ticks. The in vitro test and the on-hen feeding device have been used to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines against D. gallinae, however they lacked some of the natural feeding cues for mites, resulting in unreliable results. In the present study, a reliable in vivo rearing system which was nearly close to the natural infestation status of mites was applied to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines against D. gallinae. After vaccinations with rDg-CatD-1, rDg-CatL-1 or rDg-Lgm, chicks developed the antigen-specific IgY immune response to each antigen. The survival rates of D. gallinae in three groups decreased significantly after they fed on the immunized birds. And the oviposition rate and fecundity were significantly reduced by 13.18% and 49.90% in the rDg-CatD-1 immunized group, 5.49% and 38.55% in the rDg-CatL-1 immunized group, respectively. Moreover, immunization with rDg-CatD-1 or rDg-CatL-1 significantly decreased the blood digestion rate of D. gallinae. However, no statistically significant effects on reproduction performance and blood digestion rate of mite were observed in group immunized with rDg-Lgm. Our results demonstrated that immunization with rDg-CatD-1 or rDg-CatL-1 could prevent and control D. gallinae by reducing the survival, reproductive capacity and blood digestion of mite. Importantly, the evaluation system based on the in vivo rearing system was reliable and practical, and it can accurately evaluate the effects of immunization on D. gallinae for pre-screening of potential novel antigens.

The evaluation of feeding, mortality and oviposition of poultry red mite ( Dermanyssus gallinae) on aging hens using a high welfare on-hen feeding device.

A study was performed to examine any effect of hen age on the feeding ability and mortality of different life-stages of Dermanyssus gallinae [Poultry Red Mite (PRM)] when fed using a high welfare, on-hen mite feeding device. Mite feeding assays were carried out every two weeks on a cohort of five Lohman Brown hens with devices containing adult and deutonymph PRM or adult and protonymph PRM. Feeding rates and mortality of each PRM life stage and oviposition of adult female PRM were evaluated over an 18-week period. There was a significant reduction in oviposition rates of female PRM as they fed on hens of increasing age. However, no clear trend was detected between the feeding rates of all three haematophagous life stages and hen age. The same conclusion was reached regarding mite mortality post-feeding in both deutonymph and adult female PRMs, although a weak positive association was apparent between hen age and protonymph PRM mortality. This study shows that the on-hen feeding device can be used both for short term studies to assess novel anti-PRM products (new acaricides, vaccines etc.) and longer, longitudinal studies to determine longevity of the effects of such novel anti-PRM products. It also demonstrates that blood feeding by mites on older hens is less able to sustain PRM populations than feeding on younger hens. This on-hen mite feeding device directly impacts upon reduction and refinement by greatly reducing the numbers of birds required per experimental group compared to traditional PRM challenge infestation models and by eliminating the need for birds to be exposed to large numbers of mites for extended periods of time that can cause welfare concerns. This paper describes the methodology for these studies and how to assemble pouches and handle mites both before and after feeding assays.

A Classification Algorithm of Fish Feeding Behavior for Automatic Bait Feeding Control

In aquaculture, automatic feeding control of fish can effectively improve production efficiency. However, most automatic feeding devices are open-loop control because of lack of information on fish feeding behavior, which could lead to a large amount of bait waste. To address this problem a novel video classification algorithm based on an inter-frame relationship Bayesian estimation network(IRBEN) is proposed in this paper, which provided prior knowledge for automatic feeding control of fish. The IRBEN first employs a VAE encoder to convert the frames of a video clip into multivariate Gaussian distributions(MGDs). Then, two fully connected networks, one is trained on the MGDs associated with the fish eating video clips and the other on the MGDs associated with the fish noneating video clips, are employed to predict the MGDs of the frame after an interval from the MGD of the current frame. The classification is conducted by finding the fully connected network achieving smaller KL distance between the predicted MGD and the actual MGD. The experimental results show that the IRBEN achieves the classification accuracy of 97.5%.

Numerical investigation of propeller-ice interaction effects

An innovative numerical tool has been developed to assess the effects of propeller-ice interaction on the loads acting on the propellers. The loads are calculated as the sum of the separable hydrodynamic loads, the inseparable hydrodynamic loads and the ice contact loads. The separable hydrodynamic loads are the loads acting on the propeller in ice-free water whereas the inseparable hydrodynamic loads act on the propeller due to the ice blockage effect. Both of these loads are calculated by a panel based code. The ice-contact loads, i.e. the loads originating from the physical contact between the ice particles and the propeller, have a significant contribution to the total loads acting on the propeller and are calculated using the empirical formulae. The calculated loads are transferred to a commercial Finite Element Solver that calculates the stresses and strains developed by the said loads across the propeller blades. Several interaction scenarios are modeled & compared, and the effect of various parameters is quantified. The simulation tool is calibrated based on the results from a model test campaign in which a linear feeding device is used to guide ice floes into a rotating model propeller to be milled under controlled conditions.