| 摘要 |
<p>Robotic apparatus for transferring and distributing small particles, such as seeds, contained in covered or uncovered containers, such as capped jars, are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus includes a vacuum-activated probe (24) configured to pick up a selectednumber of seeds from a donor container (18, 20) and to deposit the seeds in a selected recipient container (14,16). The seeds being transferred may be weighed during the transfer process by depositing the seeds in a crucible (96) of a microgram balance (102) or analogous device. After weighing, the seeds are picked up using a second probe (26) that transfers the seeds to a recipient container (14, 16). Also disclosed are automated methods for transferring and weighing particles, such as seeds.</p> |
