Systems and methods for mobile automated mass release of insects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10568308-B2
Application number	US-201715413564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Jan 24, 2017
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system comprising:
a tube comprising a plurality of internal dividers defining one or more mosquito compartments;
a loading mechanism configured to reposition the plurality of dividers and thereby reposition the one or more compartments to release mosquitos;
a blower positioned to apply air pressure to a portion of the tube to force mosquitos to exit the tube; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the loading mechanism and the blower and configured to control the loading mechanism and the blower.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the loading mechanism further comprises a hopper comprising a plurality of tubes for storing mosquitos.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is coupled to one or more sensors and controls the blower based in part on signals received from the one or more sensors.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a GPS receiver, and wherein the processor controls the blower based in part on a determined location.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a sensor configured to measure a rate of release of mosquitos.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the sensor configured to measure a rate of release of insects comprises one or more of: a camera, a microphone, an ultrasonic Doppler sensor, or a light sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the loading mechanism and the blower to release a stream of mosquitos.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tube, the loading mechanism, and the blower are mounted to a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle comprises one of: a car, a truck, a drone, a helicopter, or an airplane.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Massaro Peter
• Sobecki Robert
• Wasson Brian
• Behling Charles
• Levine Gabriella

Classifications

• A01K29/005

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title

• G05D7/0605

  specially adapted for solid materials · CPC title

• A01M2200/012

  Flying insects · CPC title

• A01M99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• A01K67/033 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic