Kristóf Takács, Bence Takács, Tivadar Garamvölgyi, Sándor Tarsoly, Márta Alexy, Kristóf Móga, Imre J. Rudas, Péter Galambos andTamás Haidegger

Published in MDPI Sensors, 17 July 2024

Maksym Manko, Oleh Smolkin, Dmytro Romanov, Ian de Medeiros Esper, Anton Popov  4, Ivan Sahumbaiev, Luis Eduardo Cordova-Lopez and Alex Mason

Published in Smart Agricultural Technology, 12 June 2024

The goal of this work has been the development of a deep-learning model which may be used in conjunction with a novel so-called “Meat Factory Cell” platform, namely to enable an industrial robot within the system to identify and successfully grip the limbs of an entire pig carcass. The model consists of three main components: (1) a U-Net-based deep learning model that predicts heatmaps with a probability distribution of gripping and key point locations on the limbs, within RGB-D images; (2) a post-processing element for the extraction of keypoints from heatmaps, and transferral of these points into 3D space using a pinhole camera model; and (3) gripper orientation estimation, which uses the predicted limb key points to define gripper orientation in 3D space. The proposed system demonstrates high precision and robustness in estimating gripping points on pig limbs based on a data test set, which includes two gripping definitions: Norwegian and Danish. These gripping definitions account for variation in the slaughter process in two different European countries. The Norwegian definition gives mAP(0.5…0.95) = 0.971, mAR(0.5…0.95) = 0.982, and distance error 13 mm, while the Danish definition gives mAP(0.5…0.95) = 0.985, mAR(0.5…0.95) = 0.995, and distance error 14 mm. The model was validated in practice during experimental trials at the Meat Factory Cell test facility at the Norwegian University of Life Science (Ås, Norway), with whole pig carcasses (n=25).

Alex Mason, Ian Esper, Olga Korostynska, Luis Eduardo Cordova-Lopez, Dmytro Romanov, Michaela Pinceková, Per Håkon Bjørnstad, Ole Alvseike, Anton Popov, Ole Smolkin, Maksym Manko, Lars Bager Christensen, Kritof Takács and Tamas Haidegger

Published in The International Journal of Robotics Research, 21 Feburary 2024

Automation is critically important for sustainability in meat production, where heavy reliance on human labour is a growing challenge. In this work, a novel robotic Meat Factory Cell (MFC) platform presents the opportunity for unconventional automation in pork meat processing, particularly abattoirs. Instead of following line-based approaches, which are the main option today, it uses robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to perform complex cutting and manipulation operations on entire unchilled pork carcasses, with awareness of biological variation and deformation. The long-term goal of the MFC is to take a pork carcass as an input and produce seven primal outputs: hams, shoulders, saddle, belly and entire organ set. However, the MFC platform is under continuous development – therefore, this paper aims to demonstrate it through a specific use-case: shoulder removal. The system is evaluated based on data from testing and development sessions (June–November 2022), with a total of 34 attempted shoulder removals. Data regarding the MFCs’ ability to handle variation, in addition to success rate and process timing models are presented. Qualitative feedback from skilled butchers is also discussed. The authors propose that, as well as technical development of the platform, it is important to consider new ways of comparing unconventional systems with their conventional counterparts. Innovative manufacturing systems have more to offer than raw speed and volume; traits such as flexibility, robustness and scalability – particularly economic scalability – should play a prominent role. Future legislation and standards must also encourage innovation rather than hinder innovative robotics solutions.

Ian de Medeiros Esper, Lars Erik Gangsei, Luis Eduardo Cordova-Lopez, Dmytro Romanov, Per Håkon Bjørnstad, Ole Alvseike, Pål Johan From & Alex Mason

Published in Smart Agricultural Technology, 7, March 2024

This article presents a comprehensive framework for executing primal cuts on pigs within a Meat Factory Cell (MFC) context, with potential applications for small and medium-sized producers. The framework begins by creating a 3D model from CT-scans, which is then aligned with a 3D point cloud acquired from an Intel© Realsense™ camera using an initial coarse estimate, and refined through Bayesian Coherent Point Drift. Cutting trajectories are generated based on a custom 3D model of the cutting surface, designed with consideration of the pig’s skeletal structure and the cutting properties of the knife tool attached to the robot. A qualitative evaluation of the cuts performed by a professional butcher reveals promising results, while also identifying areas for improvement. The article underscores the potential of integrating CT-scans, 3D point clouds, and cutting models to automate primal cuts in the meat industry, addressing the inherent anatomical variability among animals.

Clara Valente, Rannvá Danielsen, Anna Woodhouse, Fredrik Moltu Johnsen & Ellen-Marie Forsberg

Published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 7, December 2023

The automation of pork processing through robotics raises important societal concerns regarding working conditions of slaughterhouse workers and impacts on local communities. This article aims to evaluate the social performance and impacts of implementing an Autonomous Robotic System (ARS) for meat processing, comparing pre- and post-implementation scenarios.

Alex Mason, Tamas Haidegger and Ole Alvseike

Published in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine Volume: 30, Issue: 2, June 2023

Research and development in food processing automation is not a topic one comes across every day in the robotics domain since it is historically a main target for special-purpose machinery. In the agrifood landscape, it is most certainly agritech—that is, technological development at the farm level—that has captured the attention of robotics researchers today.

Helle Røer, Olga Korostynska, Frøydis Bjerke, Dmytro Romanov, Luis Eduardo Cordova-Lopez, Alex Mason, Per Håkon Bjørnstad, Torunn Thauland Håseth and Ole Alvseike.

Published in Management Science Letters 13 (2023)

Manual labour in slaughterhouses is hazardous work. Workers suffer from injuries and occupational illnesses resulting from repetitive movements with sharp knives. There is a need for a robotic tool which can perform versatile tasks with a high level of precision. This knife must be able to imitate the same primary cuttings of a professional butcher and produce meat products which are acceptable to the end-market. This paper reports the results of a world-wide assessment of the fresh pork meat cuts as a performance indicator of knives specifically adapted for automated operation.

Ian de Medeiros Esper, Luiz Eduardo Cordova-Lopez, Dmytro Romanov, Ole Alvseike, Pål Johan From, Alex Mason

Published in Data in Brief, Vol. 41, April 2022

This paper presents a pig carcass cutting dataset, captured from a bespoke frame structure with 6 Intel® RealSense™ Depth Camera D415 cameras attached, and later recorded from a single camera attached to a robotic arm cycling through the positions previously defined by the frame structure. The data is composed of bags files recorded from the Intel’s SDK, which includes RGB-D data and camera intrinsic parameters for each sensor. In addition, ten JSON files with the transformation matrix for each camera in relation to the left/front camera in the structure are provided, five JSON files for the data recorded with the bespoke frame and five JSON files for the data captured with the robotic arm.

Bojan Blagojevic, Truls Nesbakken, Ole Alvseike, Ivar Vågsholm,  Dragan Antic,  Sophia Johler,  Kurt Houf, Diana Meemken, Ivan Nastasijevic, Madalena Vieira Pinto, Boris Antunovic, Milen Georgiev, Lis Alban

Published in Food Control, Vol. 124, June 2021

The traditional meat safety system has significantly contributed to public health protection throughout the last century. However, it has been recognised that this system suffers many flaws – the main being its limited ability to control the currently most important meat-borne hazards. The European Food Safety Authority evaluated meat inspection in the public health context, prioritised meat-borne hazards and proposed a generic framework for a new, risk-based meat safety assurance system. The proposed system aims to combine a range of preventive and control measures, applied at farms and abattoirs and integrated longitudinally, where official meat inspection is incorporated with producers’ food safety management systems into a coherent whole.

M. Sødring, T. Thauland Håseth, E. Rasten Brunsdon, P. H. Bjørnstad, R.
Sandnes, O. J. Røtterud, A. Mason, I. de Medeiros Esper, E. Hallenstvedt, P.
Agerup, K. Kåsin, B. Egelandsdal & O. Alvseike

Published in Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A — Animal Science (2022)

The Meat Factory Cell (MFC) concept restructures the slaughter line into cell stations and merges elements of the slaughter- and primal cutting processes. With the MFC approach, most of the primals are removed prior to evisceration. This study describes the effect of the MFC concept on carcass hygiene, carcass yield, meat quality traits, and sensory characteristics of selected MFC products from trials with the very first pig carcasses processed with the MFC approach. Results show that hygiene of MFC carcasses rivals conventionally slaughtered carcasses. For quality variables and sensory characteristics of selected MFC products, the study shows that the MFC approach will result in products that equal, and in some cases surpass, conventional products, provided that proper processing, packaging and chilling is applied.

Gunvor Elise Nagel-Alne, Emil Murphy, Brittany McCauslin, Sigrun J.Hauge, Dorte Lene Schrøder-Petersen, Janne Holthe, Ole Alvseike.

Published in Food Control 141 (2022)

Innovations are necessary to meet future challenges regarding sustainability, animal welfare, slaughter hygiene, meat safety and quality, not at least for optimal balance between these dimensions. The red meat safety legislation texts from Europe, New Zealand, USA, and global guidelines, were analysed for normative formulations (“how it is or should be done”) that may create non-intentional hurdles to innovation and new technology.

Dmytro Romanov, Olga Korostynska, Odd Ivar Lekang, Alex Mason

Published in Journal of Food Engineering vol. 331 (2022)

This article critically reviews automation challenges for robotic applications in the meat industry, among those are heterogeneity of meat pieces and inconsistency of cutting trajectories that must be overcome to achieve the final quality product. It specifically focuses on human-robot collaboration (HRC) that could be applied in the meat industry to address these challenges. The paper elaborates on possible adaptation of HRC in meat industry, based on its achievements in other industries.

A. Mason, D. Romanov, L. E. Cordova-Lopez, O . Korostynska

Published in Sensor Review 42/1 (2022)

Modern meat processing requires automation and robotisation to remain sustainable and adapt to future challenges, including those brought by global infection events. Automation of all or many processes is seen as the way forward, with robots performing various tasks instead of people. Meat cutting is one of these tasks. Smart novel solutions, including smart knives, are required, with the smart knife being able to analyse and predict the meat it cuts. This paper aims to review technologies with the potential to be used as a so-called “smart knife” The criteria for a smart knife are also defined.

O. Korostynska, A. Mason

Printed Edition of the Special Issue Published in Sensors (2021)

Water quality is one of the most critical indicators of environmental pollution and it affects
all of us. Water contamination can be accidental or intentional and the consequences are drastic unless the appropriate measures are adopted on the spot. This review provides a critical assessment of the applicability of various technologies for real-time water quality monitoring, focusing on those that have been reportedly tested in real-life scenarios.

S. Ross, O. Korostynska, L.E. Cordova-Lopez, A. Mason 

Published in Trends in Food Science & Technology Volume 119, January 2022

Highlights

• Overviews current red meat industry challenges that drive the need for automation.
• Why red meat slaughterhouse automation has not seen widespread automation adoption.
• Benchmark theoretical holding forces calculated for gripper suitability assessment.
• Review of unilateral robot grippers for use within a new pig slaughter process.
• To conclude simple vacuum systems, can potentially manipulate 40 Kg meat pieces.

Ian de Medeiros Esper, Pål J. From, Alex Mason

Published in Trends in Food Science & Technology 108 (2021)

Highlights

• Reviewed intelligent robotic systems that are being developed or are already available for the carcass cutting and deboning.
• Provides an overview of the current relevant automation in abattoirs.
• Presents Overview, Process and Critical review of research and commercial projects.
• Commercial products are Frontmatec AiRA Robots, Mayekawa Hamdas-RX, and SCOTT Automated Boning Room.
• Research are SRDViand Z-cut robotic system, ham deboning system and ECHORD-DEXDEB, and SINTEF GRIBBOT.
• Evaluate of production efficiency, worker’s health, hygiene standards, scalability to suit all production volumes.
• Investigate the adaptability of these systems to different production concepts, e.g., cell based factory.

Clara Valente, Hanne Møller, Fredrik Moltu Johnsen, Simon Saxegård, Elin Rasten Brunsdon, Ole Arne Alvseike

Published in Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 272, 1 November 2022

This article presents a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of an innovative slaughter concept, i.e., a semi-automated version of the Meat Factory Cell (MFC). The system is characterised by division of labour with close human-robot interaction, as compared to a Conventional Slaughter and Cutting Process (CSCP). A case study is built which considers the conditions at a Norwegian slaughter facility. Several assumptions are made for the MFC as the concept is still in the development phase. A sensitivity analysis has been employed to highlight the key factors leading to changes in the environmental, economic and social aspects of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework.