Carcase (automated) Dentition - Solution providers required to automate measurement. [Part 1]

Theme Articles: Part 1 (Innovation Challenge and Background), Part 2 (development plan), and Part 3 (draft funding application).

The dentition of bovine and ovine carcases on the slaughter floor is a critical task undertaken by processing operators on every carcase processed. Although ossification (a pending AMPC innovation challenge) is more accurate in determining animal age, dentition (or teeth counting) is still a useful way to assess cattle age (per FutureBeef website).

Dentition is a process to ascertain how many permanent incisors have broken through the gum surface. This task is undertaken by operational staff inspecting (visual and tactile) the mouth of each carcase.

The following image, obtained from the AUS-MEAT website, depicts how dentition is used to age ovine. Bovine examples can be obtained from the same website.

AMPC Innovation Challenge

The team at AMPC would like to hear from providers who believe that they could develop a solution to remove the operator from at a minimum the 'counting/feeling' process. The operator could still be utilised within the new solution, or the new solution could be fully automated.

The first steps will be proof of sensors/camera/detector concept with the demonstration of the accurate quantification on the resulting image, hence the image could be analysed using the operational staff. Then further evolutions could incorporate automated software counting of permanent incisors. Hence, this is probably a 2-5 year development program.

Although the lead image depicts an x-ray solution, AMPC is not fixated on any one technical approach and will consider all types of surface and penetrating imaging solutions (or non-imaging solutions if there are any).

If you are a solution provider or developer and would like to be financially supported by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) to demonstrate and evolve your offering in developing an alternative approach to measuring dentition in ovine and bovine please reach out to myself on LinkedIn or my AMPC colleagues Stuart Shaw & Matt O'Bryan.

AMPC is specifically interesting in collaborating with imaging technology companies currently supplying the medical sector and looking for a new segment market to service (the global meat industry).

About AMPC

AMPC is an industry body that facilitates industry and researchers/providers in undertaking/adopting innovation and R&D for the Australian red meat processing sector. We do this by having access to an industry levy (aka an industry tax) and matching Aust. Fed. Govt. R&D funds (50% from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - The Hon. David Littleproud MP & Andrew Metcalfe AO). We invest in others undertaking R&D. Note we do not undertake any of the R&D ourselves. 

Think of AMPC as innovation investment managers (without taking equity).

Possible providers (others welcome)

Smiths (Monika Maheshwari), Rapiscan (Ed Morton), Intelligent Robotics (Clyde Campbell), Chris Hopkins, Scott Technology (Andrew Arnold), DMRI (Niels Madsen), Frontmatec - SFK (Alexandre Lemieux), Nuctech (Wang Zheng), AXT (Richard Trett), Eagle (Simon King), GE Healthcare (Matt Tucker), Toshiba (Mark Wittard), Siemens (Jeff Connolly), Philips (Caroline Clarke), George Papaioannou, Southern Engineering Solutions (Warren Rice), FOSS (Steven Ilgoutz), Key Technology (Alex Austin), TOMRA (Harris Madden), AgResearch (Cameron Craigie), Bosch (Peter Rindt), SoftBank (Harold Walsh), Georgia Tech Research Institute (Doug Britton), CSIRO (Cathy Foley), University of Sydney (Sandra Margon), Murdoch University (Graham Gardner), ATS Global (Armin Fahnle), Kavo Dental (Russell Christian) Australian Imaging (Sharmaine Crooks), Henry Schein (Alexandra Spencer), iM3 Dental (Holly Freeman), Anthos Australia (Phil Pagliuso), Inline Imaging Technology (Mike Harman), ATX Solutions (Roger Davis), Radincon (Jon Marriott), IBIS X-ray systems (Michael Terzi), Avante Health (Sterling Peloso)

AMPC: Stuart Shaw & Matt O'Bryan

AMPC Executive & Board: Chris Taylor, John Berry, Melissa Fletcher, Dean Goode, James Hardwick (c/o Luke Hardwick), Leanne Heywood, Noel Kelson, Tom Maguire, Bruce Rathie & Brad Teys

AMIC: Patrick Hutchison, Terry Nolan, Jamie Ralph (c/o James Ralph) & Claire House

Australia's and CSIRO's Lead Scientists: Cathey Foley & Larry Marshall