A device for classifying plant embryos

Abstract

1. An apparatus (100) for classifying plant embryos, comprising: a vibration base (102) configured to receive one or more plant embryos (104) and reposition and / or separate the plant embryos (104) by vibrating them without using a liquid; a robot (106) having at least one sensor (108) configured to detect a single plant embryo on the vibration base (102); a gripper (110) configured to pick up the detected single plant embryo (104) from the vibration base (102); at least one camera (112) configured to image the single plant embryo (104) in the gripper (110) from multiple directions; and a processing unit configured to determine a quality of the single plant embryo (104) based on the images, wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide a control signal to the robot (106) to move the single plant embryo (104) to a first or second group based on the quality of the plant embryo (104).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of devices for plant embryos, in particular devices for sorting plant embryos. [Background technology]

[0002] There are many practical devices on the market for the processing of plant embryos. Nevertheless, the known techniques have many drawbacks. These drawbacks may, for example, relate to the contamination of the plant embryos during processing. Contamination may be fatal to the plant embryos. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] There is therefore a need for a solution that mitigates the shortcomings of known devices for processing plant embryos. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The invention is constituted by what is stated in the independent claims.

[0005] Embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0006] The embodiments and features described herein (if any) that are not included within the scope of the invention as defined in the independent claims should be construed as examples useful in understanding various embodiments of the invention.

[0007] Example embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a plant embryo classification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 shows a plant embryo classification device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B]FIG. 2 shows a plant embryo classification device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2 shows a plant embryo classification device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 shows a plant embryo classification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 shows a plant embryo classification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a flow diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a flow diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The following embodiments are merely illustrative. Although the specification may refer to "one" embodiment in several places, this does not necessarily mean that each of such descriptions refers to the same embodiment or that a feature applies only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "including" in the original specification should be understood not to limit the described embodiments to only the features mentioned, and such embodiments may further include features and / or structures not specifically described. Any combination of the embodiments is considered possible as long as such combination does not lead to structural or logical contradictions.

[0010] Plant embryos are extremely sensitive and impose stringent requirements on the equipment used to process these plant embryos. For example, contamination of the plant embryos should be prevented during processing, as contamination may be fatal to the plant embryos. Processing may refer for example to a quality-based classification of the plant embryos. Known techniques (solutions) for classification and handling of plant embryos have many drawbacks, and therefore more advanced equipment for classifying plant embryos is desirable.

[0011] According to one aspect, there is provided an apparatus for classifying plant embryos, comprising: a vibration base configured to receive one or more plant embryos and reposition and / or separate such plant embryos by vibrating them without the use of liquid; a robot having at least one sensor configured to detect a single plant embryo on the vibration base and a gripper configured to pick up the detected single plant embryo from the vibrating base; at least one camera configured to image the single plant embryo in the gripper from multiple directions; and a processing unit configured to determine a quality of the single plant embryo based on the images, wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide a control signal to the robot to move the single plant embryo to a first or second group based on the quality of the plant embryo.

[0012] The term "classification" in this application refers to the process of dividing plant embryos into two or more groups based on their quality. Plant embryos with sufficiently good quality are transferred to a germination device, and plant embryos with not sufficiently good quality are removed. The removed plant embryos can be, for example, reclassified or removed. Plant embryos in this application (as well as embryos referred to later in this application) can refer to multiple different types of embryos. The embryos can refer to, for example, tree embryos, conifer embryos and / or vegetative growth embryos. The embryos can be, for example, Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) embryos.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the device 100 has a vibrating base or table 102 configured to receive, reposition, and / or separate one or more plant embryos 104. The vibrating table is coupled to a motor for vibrating the base. The vibration separates the embryos from each other and from possible plant tissues. The vibration can also reposition the embryos on the base, in other words change the placement location of the embryos on the base. The separation and / or repositioning is performed in a dry state, in other words without liquid. Liquids may increase the risk of contamination, and therefore the separation and / or repositioning process is performed without liquid. The vibrating base may have a wall provided on the outer edge of the base. The wall may extend substantially perpendicularly from the top surface of the vibrating base. The wall prevents the embryos from falling out of the base during vibration. The shape of the vibrating base may be, for example, circular.

[0014] The embryos are placed on the vibration base manually or automatically. For example, an operator may place the embryos on the vibration base or an automated mechanism may be provided for placing the embryos. The automated mechanism may include, for example, a robot. The robot may be the same as that used for sorting or the robot may be a separate robot.

[0015] In one embodiment, the vibration base has a ceramic and / or Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE) coating. The coating allows for easy removal of the embryo from the base, since the embryo may easily stick to the base. In one embodiment, the color of the vibration base is dark. Dark may mean, for example, black. Additionally, the color of the vibration base shall be uniform throughout the entire surface of the base on which the embryo is placed. The uniform dark color of the vibration base allows for good detection of the embryo on the base by at least one sensor.

[0016] Still referring to Fig. 1, in one embodiment, the device 100 comprises at least one sensor 108 configured to detect at least a single plant embryo 104 on the vibration base 102. The sensor can detect the embryo on the vibration base, and the sensor further provides information about the location of the embryo on the vibration base. Based on the detection of the at least one sensor, a processing unit coupled to the at least one sensor can provide a control signal to a robot, the robot comprising a gripper for picking up the detected single needle from the vibration base. The sensor may be positioned such that it can detect and / or locate the plant embryo on the vibration plate. The sensor may therefore be positioned substantially above the vibration plate, for example.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sensor comprises a camera. The sensor may be, for example, an industrial camera. The camera may be a color or monochrome camera. The resolution may be, for example, (at least) 20 megapixels.

[0018] In one embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the device 100 comprises a robot 106 with a gripper 110 configured to pick up a single plant embryo 104 from a vibration base 102. The robot may be a three-axis robot, for example, capable of moving in the X, Y and Z directions. Still referring to FIG. 1, the robot may be capable of moving in the D1 and D2 directions, and also in the D3 direction shown in FIG. 3. The robot is therefore configured to move the embryo in three different directions. The robot has a gripper configured to pick up a single embryo from a vibration base on which multiple embryos are placed. The gripper may consist of a vacuum gripper, where a vacuum (reduced pressure) is used to pinch the single embryo. The vacuum gripper may be, for example, needle-shaped. The vacuum gripper may be coated to ensure proper contact with the embryo. Proper contact means that the embryo sticks properly to the gripper, remains located in the gripper, and can also be easily removed from the gripper. The coating may also reduce the risk of contamination of the embryo. The coating may for example be a DLC-coating (Diamond-Like Coating). The colour of the coated gripper may for example be dark, such as black.

[0019] In one embodiment, the device 100 has at least one camera 112 configured to image a single plant embryo 104 in the gripper 110 from multiple directions. The expression single (plant) embryo means that one embryo is imaged at a time. Therefore, multiple embryos are imaged one by one. When the embryo is on the gripper, the imaging process is quick compared to techniques where the embryo is placed, for example, on a flat surface for imaging. The quick imaging process reduces the risk of contamination. The at least one camera is positioned such that the embryo is imaged from several angles (directions) at once. This also makes the imaging process quick. Special optics may be used in the camera to image the embryo from multiple angles. The camera may be, for example, a 2D or 3D microscope camera. The camera may be a color or monochrome camera. The resolution may be, for example, (at least) 5 megapixels.

[0020] In one embodiment, the device has at least two cameras for imaging the embryo in the gripper from three different directions (angles). One camera with special optics may be configured to image the embryo from two different sides and one camera may be configured to image the embryo, for example, substantially from below. The three images may be taken simultaneously, which allows a fast imaging process. The images from different directions of a single embryo provide a comprehensive view of the quality of the embryo.

[0021] In one embodiment, the device is mobile. Mobile may mean that the device (can be carried) can be moved from one place to another. The structure of the device is simple and small, which allows the device to be easily moved. The structure of the device can also be easily disassembled and reassembled. Many of the known technologies are fixed in a certain location and are not suitable for movement or relocation.

[0022] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a processing unit configured to determine a quality of a single plant embryo based on an image taken by the camera. The processing unit may be coupled to a memory for storing quality parameters related to the embryo. Based on the image, the processing unit is configured to determine a quality of the embryo. The processing unit may be configured to measure predefined parameters from the image of the embryo, and these measured parameters are compared with the quality parameters stored in the memory. The quality parameters may be determined by imaging a quantity of embryos with high and low quality. Based on these quality parameters, limit values ​​for high and low quality are established.

[0023] In one embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to provide a control signal to the robot based on the quality of the embryo to move the single plant embryo to a first or second group based on the quality of the embryo after the quality determination. The two groups consist of one group of high quality embryos and one group of low quality embryos. For example, the first group may be for embryos whose quality is good enough and the second group for embryos whose quality is not so good. The processing unit is then configured to provide a control signal to the robot to move the imaged embryo to the first or second group based on the determined quality level. The embryos of the first group may be transferred to a germination device and the embryos of the second group may be transferred to a waste bin (discarded).

[0024] In one embodiment, the processing unit and / or memory are integral parts of the device. In another embodiment, the processing unit and memory are external devices coupled to the device. The memory can be, for example, a cloud-based database. The processing unit can also be, for example, a cloud-based processor. In one embodiment, the device can be coupled to a computer including, for example, a processing unit with memory configured to perform all of the functions mentioned in this application. The processing unit and memory are not shown.

[0025] The first and / or second group of embryos may be placed in a dish by the gripper after quality determination. The above-mentioned device may further comprise features for handling the dish in which the embryos are placed after quality determination. In one embodiment, the dish comprises a Petri dish with a cover.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the apparatus 100 further includes a conveyor 114 configured to receive and move the dish 122AB, a first pusher 116 configured to push the dish 122AB from a first stock of dishes 126 onto the conveyor 114, a second pusher 118 configured to push the dish 122AB from the conveyor 114 to a second stock of dishes 126, and a dish handler 120 configured to open and / or close the cover of the dish 120B. The dish handler is configured to open (remove) the cover of the dish when the dish is pushed onto the conveyor by the first pusher and to hold the cover of the dish, the conveyor is configured to move the dish to a first location where the robot is configured to place one or more embryos of a first group into the dish, the conveyor is further configured to move the dish to the dish handler to close the dish with a cover, and the conveyor is further configured to move the dish to a second location, where the second pusher is configured to push the dish into a second stock of dishes.

[0027] In one embodiment, the conveyor is a belt conveyor. Additionally or alternatively, any other type of conveyor may be used. The conveyor is configured to receive plates from a plate stock and move the plates to a number of locations. The apparatus may further include one or more sensors coupled to the conveyor and configured to locate the plates on the conveyor.

[0028] In one embodiment, the device has a first and a second pusher configured to push dishes onto and / or off the conveyor. The first pusher is configured to push new empty dishes from a first stock onto the conveyor where the one or more embryos are deposited by the gripper. The second pusher is configured to push the dishes with the one or more embryos off the conveyor and into a second stock of dishes. The stock may be, for example, a pile of dishes. The first pusher may be configured to push the bottommost dish of the first pile onto the conveyor and the second pusher is configured to push the dish to, for example, the bottom of the second pile. The pusher may comprise a cylinder coupled to a pressing head. The pressing head may have, for example, the shape of a circular arc. The dishes may be circular (round) and the pressing head with a circular shape may follow the shape of the circular dishes so that the dishes fit into the pusher. The first and second pushers are configured to move in a direction D4 as shown in Figure 2 A. The first and second pushers may be of substantially the same construction.

[0029] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a dish handler configured to open and / or close the cover of the dish. The handler may be positioned near a location on the conveyor to which the first pusher pushes the dish from the first dish stock. The dish handler may include a vacuum gripper configured to remove the cover by lifting it from the dish and further to hold the cover lifted for a predetermined period of time. The handler is further configured to place the cover back on the dish.

[0030] The conveyor 114 is configured to receive a dish 122AB pushed onto the conveyor 114 by a first pusher 116 from a first stock of dishes 126, as shown in FIG. 2A. Once the dish 122AB is located on the conveyor 114, the dish handler 120 opens the cover of the dish 122B and leaves the cover lifted. The conveyor 114 then moves the dish 122A without the cover to a first location as shown in FIG. 2B. In this first location, which is within the operating range of the robot, the robot 106 places one or more embryos 104 of the first group in the dish 122A. When there are enough embryos 104 of the first group in the dish 122A, the conveyor 114 returns the dish 122A to the dish handler 120 and closes the dish with the cover 122B. The conveyor 114 moves the closed dish 122AB to a second location as shown in FIG. 2C. At the second location, the second pusher 118 pushes the dish 122AB with the embryos into a second stock of dishes 124.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the apparatus 100 further comprises a tool module 128 coupled to the robot 106, the tool module comprising at least a gripper 110 and a number of cameras 112. The tool unit may be coupled to an arm of the robot. The arm refers to a part of the robot that couples tools such as a gripper. The tool module may be a multi-function unit of the robot that includes tools required for handling and sorting the embryos, such as a gripper, at least one sensor and / or a camera. Thus, all the required tools are integrated in one module. In this case, there is no need to exchange tools by removing them from and / or coupling them to the robot during the process. The handling and sorting process is quick when all the required tools are in one tool module coupled to the robot.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the tool module 128 is configured to receive the gripper 110 so that the gripper 110 moves into the tool module 128, where multiple cameras 112 are located in the tool module 128, configured to image a single plant embryo 104 in the gripper 110 located inside the tool module 128. Features located in the tool module are shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. The tool module 128 may have a space 130 in which the gripper 110 can be retracted. The gripper is configured to move in a direction D3, thereby allowing the gripper to move into and out of the tool module. FIG. 4 shows the gripper position where the gripper is located in the tool module. The gripper may be moved into the tool module to image the plant embryo in the gripper. The camera used to image the embryo in the gripper may be located in the tool module. Imaging in the tool module improves the quality of the image and therefore also improves the quality determination. External interference can be avoided if imaging is performed within the tool module.

[0033] In one embodiment, the at least one sensor is further configured to image the plant embryos, and the processing unit is further configured to identify the plant embryos on the vibration base based on the at least one image. In addition to the embryos, there may be, for example, a stack of plant tissue and / or embryos on the vibration base. The processing unit may identify, based on the image, which object is an embryo on the vibration base. In other words, the processing unit identifies whether the object on the vibration base is an embryo or not. Furthermore, the processing unit may pre-determine the quality of the embryos. As mentioned above, the at least one sensor may consist of a camera. The camera may be used to take images of the objects such as plant embryos and / or plant tissue on the vibration base. The images may be used by the processing unit to identify the embryos on the base before final classification.

[0034] In one embodiment, the processing unit is configured to provide a control signal to a robot with a gripper for picking up a single plant embryo from the identified object on the vibration base. In other words, the gripper may be configured to pick up an embryo identified as a plant embryo from the vibration base. The technical advance of this feature is that the actual classification is facilitated since only embryos and / or embryos that are preliminarily deemed good enough are selected for the final imaging process. In other words, the yield of the final imaging process (classification) can be said to be high and the process is fast.

[0035] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a memory configured to store images and / or data related to the quality of the plant embryos. The memory may be the same as or have the same characteristics as described above in this application. All classification related data such as images, measurement parameters and results of the classification process may be stored in this memory.

[0036] In one embodiment, the processing unit is configured to use the stored images and / or stored data of the quality of the plant embryo in determining the quality of the plant embryo. The images, the measurement parameters, and other data may be used by the processing unit to update the determination process. Thus, the classification may be a self-learning process, whereby the determination can become more accurate over time based on the classification results and / or the measurement parameters and / or the images.

[0037] In one embodiment, at least a part of the device is located in a sterile space. The device or a part of it may be housed in a sterile enclosure. The purpose of the sterile enclosure is to prevent contamination of the embryos during the handling and sorting process. The sterile enclosure may for example be a laminar flow cabinet. In one embodiment, at least the process steps in which the embryos are located outside the dish are performed in the sterile enclosure. In another embodiment, the entire device is located in the sterile space. In the above-mentioned embodiments, the device may be coupled to a control device (such as a computer) and the control device may be located outside the sterile space, but it is still important to realize that the entire device is nevertheless located in the sterile space. In this case, the control of the device may be performed outside the sterile space.

[0038] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the device 100 further comprises an illumination element 132 arranged in the vibration base 102 and configured to illuminate the plant embryo 104 on the vibration base 102 from multiple directions. The illumination element 132 may for example consist of multiple LED lights 134. The LED lights may be arranged such that the top surface of the vibration base on which the embryo is located is illuminated from several directions. With the top surface of the vibration base having a dark color, the illumination element allows accurate detection of the embryo on the top surface by the at least one sensor. The illumination element also allows acquisition of a high quality image of the embryo to be used for a preliminary determination of the quality of the embryo.

[0039] Still referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the lighting element 132 consists of a lighting ring provided on the edge of the vibration base 102. The vibration base may be circular (round) and the lighting ring is coupled to the outer edge of the circular base such that it circles around the outer edge of the base as shown in FIG. 1. A number of LED lights may be provided in the lighting ring, so that the LED lights are evenly distributed around the edge of the base. In this case, the LED lights are configured to illuminate the top surface of the vibration base from multiple directions, and the embryos on the top surface are illuminated very effectively. Furthermore, the lighting ring allows for a simple structure of the device and also saves space in the device.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 5, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for isolating plant embryos, the method comprising the steps of: isolating and / or repositioning one or more plant embryos without liquid by a vibrating base (500); detecting a single plant embryo on the vibrating base by at least one sensor (502); picking up the single plant embryo from the vibrating base by a robot with a gripper (504); imaging the single plant embryo in the gripper of the robot from multiple directions by multiple cameras (506); determining, by a processing unit, the quality of the single plant embryo based on the images (508); and providing, by the processing unit, a control signal to the robot arm to move the single plant embryo to a first or second group based on the quality of the single plant embryo (510).

[0041] Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment, the method further includes the following steps: moving a plate from a first stock of plates to a conveyor by a first pusher (600); opening and holding the cover of the plate moved onto the conveyor by a plate handler (602); moving the plate to a first location by the conveyor (604); placing a first group of one or more plant embryos onto the plate by a robotic gripper (606); moving the plate with the one or more plant embryos to the plate handler by the conveyor (608); closing the cover of the plate by the plate handler (610); moving the plate to a second location by the conveyor (612); and moving the plate to a second stock of plates by a second pusher (614).

[0042] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a safety device configured to stop the operation of the device (robot) if the safety device detects an object present within a predetermined safety area. For example, the safety device may stop the operation (function) of the device if a person places one hand within the working area of ​​the device. The safety device may include, for example, one or more sensors. The safety device may be, for example, a photoelectric safety switch.

[0043] In one embodiment, the device is further configured to mark the dishes such that each dish and / or the embryos thereon can be tracked. Traceability allows the results of the classification process of the marked dishes and / or embryos to be tracked later after classification. For example, stored data of the classification process performed by the device can be tracked in the marking of the dishes, and the results can be reviewed later. The marking includes stickers and / or markings, possibly applied on the surface of the dishes. The marking may include numbers, letters and / or symbols. Alternatively or additionally, the marking may be, for example, a barcode and / or a QR code.

[0044] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product, comprising instructions for causing an apparatus for classifying plant embryos to carry out any of the steps of the above-mentioned method. The computer program may be in source code form, object code form or any intermediate form and may be stored in some kind of carrier, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such carriers include transitory and / or non-transitory computer media, such as recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals and software distribution packages. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital processing unit or may be distributed across several processing units.

[0045] The following example describes how the device can be used for lung classification: A number of different plant embryos are manually or automatically placed on the vibration base. Vibration separates the embryos from each other and from the plant tissue. The at least one sensor, which may be a camera, is configured to detect and locate the embryos on the vibration base and further image the embryos on the surface of the vibration base. The data received from the at least one sensor is used by the processing unit to detect and locate the embryos on the surface and to guide a robotic gripper to pick up a single embryo. The data is further used by the processing unit to pre-determine the quality of the lungs so that only embryos with a sufficiently high quality level are picked up from the surface. The embryos are picked up one by one for the classification process.

[0046] The robot has a tool module including, for example, at least one sensor, a gripper, and a camera. The tool module may further be configured to receive the gripper with a single embryo for imaging. Inside the tool module, there is a stable environment for imaging. Multiple cameras are disposed within the tool module, configured to image the single embryo from multiple directions at once. The imaging process performed with the multiple cameras within the tool module is fast and stable.

[0047] The processing unit is configured to determine a quality of the lungs based on the images. The processing unit can measure predetermined parameters from the images of the lungs and compare the measured parameters to quality parameters stored in the memory. The embryos can be separated into two groups based on their quality. The processing unit provides control signals to move the imaged embryos into a first or second group. The embryos of the first group can be moved to a germination device and the embryos of the second group can be removed. The embryos of the first group can be transferred into a dish, such as a petri dish, with a cover.

[0048] The apparatus may further include features for providing the dish to the robot. A conveyor may be provided that is configured to move the dish to the range of motion of the robot and to move the dish away from the range of motion when an embryo is placed in the dish. The apparatus may further include a first pile of dishes, and a first pusher is configured to push embryos from the first pile of embryos onto the conveyor. When the dish is on the conveyor, the dish handler lifts and holds the cover of the dish. The dish is then moved by the conveyor without the cover to a first location located within the range of motion of the robot, and a single embryo is placed in the dish by the gripper. When one or more embryos are in the dish, the conveyor returns the dish with the embryo to the dish handler, which returns the cover to the dish (closing the dish). The closed dish is then moved to a second location, where a second pusher pushes the dish from the conveyor to a second pile of dishes.

[0049] The plant embryo sorting device of the present invention provides a highly effective automated solution to alleviate the drawbacks of the prior art. The time that the embryos are outside the dish is minimized, thereby reducing the risk of contamination during sorting. The high automation rate allows for rapid handling of the lungs in the sorting process. In addition, the sorting process is performed without liquids, thereby also reducing the risk of contamination. The liquid-free sorting process of the present invention provides a solution (technology) where the device is easy to keep clean, in other words genetic fidelity can be easily achieved and genetic cross-contamination is minimized.

[0050] The liquid-free process also allows for the scaling of the sorting process to smaller scales. The miniaturization of the device allows for device movement that was previously problematic with known techniques. Furthermore, multiple devices can be combined to create larger scale devices for sorting embryos.

[0051] The term "processing unit" as used in this application may refer to "circuitry" that refers to any of the following characteristics: (a) hardware-only circuitry configurations, e.g., analog and / or digital-only circuitry configurations; (b) combinations of circuitry and software and / or firmware, e.g., (where applicable), a combination of (i) a processor or processor core, or (ii) a processor / software portion that includes a digital signal processor, software, and at least one sensor that work together to cause the device to perform a particular function; and (c) circuitry that requires software or firmware to operate, e.g., a microprocessor or portions thereof, even if the software or firmware is not physically present.

[0052] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be embodied in various ways. The present invention and its embodiments are not limited to the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, and can be modified and changed within the scope of the invention described in the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) for classifying plant embryos, comprising: a vibration base (102) configured to receive one or more dried plant embryos and to reposition and / or separate said plant embryos (104) by vibrating the one or more plant embryos (104) without the use of liquid; at least one sensor (108) configured to detect a single plant embryo (104) on the vibrating base (102); a robot (106) having a gripper (110) configured to pick up the detected single plant embryo (104) from the vibrating base (102); at least one camera (112) configured to image the single plant embryo (104) in the gripper (110) from multiple directions; and a processing unit configured to determine the quality of the single plant embryo (104) based on the image, the processing unit further configured to provide a control signal to the robot (106) to move the single plant embryo (104) to a first or second group based on the quality of the plant embryo (104).

2. The device (100) comprises: a conveyor (114) configured to receive and move trays (122AB); a first pusher (116) configured to push the trays (122AB) from the first stock (126) of trays onto the conveyor (114); a second pusher (118) configured to push the trays (122AB) from the conveyor (114) to a second stock (124) of trays; a tray handler (120) configured to open and / or close the cover (122B) of said tray (122AB); the tray handler (120) is configured to open and hold the cover (122B) of the tray (122AB) when the tray (122AB) is pushed onto the conveyor by the first pusher (116); the conveyor (114) is configured to move the dish (122A) without the cover (122B) to a first location, where the robot (106) is configured to deposit a first group of one or more plant embryos (104) into the dish (122A), and the conveyor (114) is further configured to return the dish (122A) to the dish handler (120) for closing the dish (122A) with the cover (122B); 2. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the conveyor (114) is further configured to move the closed tray (122AB) to a second location, where the second pusher (118) is configured to push the tray (122AB) into the second stock (124) of trays.

3. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, further comprising a tool module (128) coupled to the robot (106), the tool module (128) including at least the gripper (110) and a plurality of cameras (112).

4. The apparatus (100) of claim 3, wherein the tool module (128) is configured to receive the gripper (110) therein, and wherein the tool module (128) is provided with a plurality of cameras (112) configured to image the single plant embryo (104) in the gripper (110) of the tool module (128).

5. 2. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (108) is further configured to at least image the one or more plant embryos (104) on the vibration base (102), and the processing unit is further configured to identify the plant embryos (104) on the vibration base (102) based on at least one image, and further configured to provide a control signal to the robot (106) having the gripper (110) for picking up the single plant embryo (104) from the identified plant embryo (104).

6. The apparatus (100) of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus (100) is movable.

7. The device (100) of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store data related to the image and / or the quality of the plant embryo (104).

8. 8. The apparatus (100) of claim 7, wherein the processing unit is configured to use stored images and / or data related to the quality of the plant embryo (104) in determining the quality of the plant embryo (104).

9. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the apparatus (100) is located within a sterile space.

10. The device (100) of claim 1, further comprising a lighting element (132) disposed within the vibration base (102) and configured to illuminate the plant embryo (104) on the vibration base (102) from multiple directions.

11. The apparatus (100) of claim 10, wherein the lighting element (132) comprises a lighting ring disposed on an edge of the vibration base (102).

12. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the apparatus (100) comprises at least two cameras (112) configured to image the plant embryo (104) from three different directions.

13. 1. A method for classifying plant embryos, comprising: Separating and / or relocating one or more plant embryos without liquid by means of a vibrating base (500); Detecting (502) a single plant embryo on the vibrating base by at least one sensor; Picking up the single plant embryo from the vibrating base by a robot equipped with a gripper (504); imaging (506) the single plant embryo in the gripper of the robot from multiple directions with at least one camera; and (510) providing, by a processing unit, a control signal to the robot to move the single plant embryo to a first or second group based on a quality of the single plant embryo.

14. moving (600) trays from said first stock of trays onto a conveyor by a first pusher; (602) opening and holding the cover of the tray moved onto the conveyor by a tray handler; moving the tray to a first location by the conveyor (604); placing (606) a first group of one or more plant embryos onto the dish by a gripper of the robot; moving (608) the tray with the one or more plant embryos to the tray handler by the conveyor; Closing the cover on the dish by the dish handler (610); moving the tray to a second location by the conveyor (612); The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: moving (614) the tray with a second pusher to a second stock of trays.

15. 15. A computer program product comprising instructions for causing a device for classifying plant embryos to perform the method of claim 13 or 14.

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