Mobile insect release system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10568309-B2
Application number	US-201715701933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 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:
an insect storage device defining one or more internal compartments to store a population of insects, wherein the insect storage device comprises an array of conductors coupled to a power source configured to apply voltage to the array of conductors to cause one or more insects in the population of insects to loft;
a loading mechanism for loading the insect storage device and configured to reposition the one or more internal compartments; 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.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the loading mechanism comprises a hopper and wherein the insect storage device comprises a plurality of insect storage devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the population of insects comprise one or more species of mosquitos.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the loading mechanism and the insect release device and configured to control the loading mechanism and the insect release device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is coupled to one or more sensors and controls the loading mechanism and insect release device based in part on signals received from the one or more sensors.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to control the loading mechanism and the insect release device to release a stream of insects.

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

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor configured to measure the rate of release of insects comprises one or more of: a camera, a microphone, an ultrasonic Doppler sensor, or a light sensor.

9. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a location sensor and the processor controls the insect release device based in part on a current location.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the insect storage device, loading mechanism, and insect release device are mounted to a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle comprises one of: a car, a truck, a drone, a helicopter, or an airplane.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the insect release device comprises a blower.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the insect storage device comprises a tube.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A01M2200/012

  Flying insects · CPC title

• A01K29/005

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title

• A01M99/00

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

• G05D7/0605

  specially adapted for solid materials · CPC title

• A01K67/033 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic