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EP-4548092-B1 - ARRANGEMENT FOR ALIGNING A NEEDLE AND A DRY STICK WHEN APPLYING A MILK SAMPLE OF AN ANIMAL

EP4548092B1EP 4548092 B1EP4548092 B1EP 4548092B1EP-4548092-B1

Inventors

  • CARLSEN, THOMAS NIKOLAI
  • GUDMUNDSSON, KRISTJAN FREYR
  • NOROUZI, Ehsan

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230621

Claims (8)

  1. An arrangement (100) arranged to align a needle (150) and a dry stick (110) in order to apply a milk sample of an animal (101) to the dry stick (110) when the dry stick (110) is positioned in a milk sample apply position in which the needle (150) is aligned with the dry stick (110), wherein the dry stick (110) is configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of the applied milk sample; and wherein the arrangement (100) comprises: a carrier (115) comprising at least one dry stick (110); wherein the carrier (115) has a longitudinal extension, extending in a Y- direction; a tube element (155) arranged to receive the milk sample of the animal (101); a needle (150) connected to the tube element (155), wherein the needle (150) is arranged to receive the milk sample of the animal (101) via the tube element (155) and apply the milk sample to the dry stick (110); a first light source (160) directed to illuminate the dry stick (110) for creating a first shadow (111) of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); a camera (120) configured to capture an image (300) of at least a part of the dry stick (110) and the first shadow (111) of the part of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); a drive unit (170) comprising an interface (175) configured to cooperate with the carrier (115) in order to move the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115) in the Y- direction to the milk sample apply position; a controller (130), communicatively connected to the camera (120) and the drive unit (170), characterised in that the controller (130) is configured to trigger the camera (120) to capture the image (300) of the part of the dry stick (110) and the first shadow (111) of the part of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); receive the captured image (300) from the camera (120); perform an image analysis of the image (300), for detecting the part of the dry stick (110) and the first shadow (111) of the part of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); provide a signal to the drive unit (170) to move the carrier (115) and the dry stick (110) in the Y-direction, into the milk sample apply position based on the image analysis, wherein the needle (150) is enabled to apply the milk sample to the dry stick (110).
  2. The arrangement (100) according to claim 1, wherein the controller (130) is configured to perform the image analysis of the image (300) for detecting a first edge (310) of the dry stick (110) by detecting the first shadow (111) of the first edge (310) of the dry stick (110), on the carrier (115).
  3. The arrangement (100) according to any one of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the needle (150) is arranged at a predetermined position (420) in the Y- direction and an X-direction perpendicular to the Y-direction, wherein the predetermined position (420) is known by the controller (130); and wherein the image analysis of the image (300), performed by the controller (130) comprises detecting a section of a first edge (310) of the dry stick (110) by detecting the first shadow (111) of the part of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); extrapolating an extension (410) of the section of the first edge (310) of the dry stick (110) at a segment (320) of the dry stick (110) where the milk sample is to be applied by the needle (150) when the dry stick (110) is in the milk sample apply position; and calculating a distance (d) in the Y-direction between the extrapolated extension (410) of the first edge (310) at the segment (320) of the dry stick (110) and the predetermined position (420) of the needle (150); and generating the milk apply signal to be provided to the drive unit (170) to move the carrier (115) and the dry stick (110) in the Y-direction into the milk sample apply position, based on the calculated distance (d) thereby aligning the predetermined position (420) of the needle (150) with the segment (320) of the dry stick (110) where the milk sample is to be applied by the needle (150).
  4. The arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the first light source (160) is directed to illuminate the dry stick (110) at an angle of incidence of substantially 45 ±15 degrees.
  5. The arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the controller (130) have knowledge of the width of the dry stick (110) and is configured to move the carrier (115) and the dry stick (110) in the Y-direction, for aligning the dry stick (110) on which the milk sample is to be applied, with the predetermined position (420) of the needle (150), based on the image processing and with knowledge of the width of the dry stick (110).
  6. The arrangement (100) according to any of claims 2-5, comprising a second light source (162) directed to illuminate the dry stick (110) for creating a second shadow (112) of a second edge (330) of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); and wherein the controller (130) is configured to switch off the light of the first light source (160); ignite the second light source (162); trigger the camera (120) to capture the image (300) of the second edge (330) of the dry stick (110) and the second shadow (112) of the second edge (330) of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115); receive the captured image (300) from the camera (120); and perform the image analysis of the image (300), for detecting the second edge (330) of the dry stick (110) by detecting the second shadow (112) of the second edge (330) of the dry stick (110), on the carrier (115); and wherein the controller (130) is configured to move the carrier (115) and the dry stick (110) in the Y-direction, for aligning the dry stick (110) on which the milk sample is to be applied, with the predetermined position (420) of the needle (150), based on the detected first edge (310) of the dry stick (110) and the second edge (330) of the dry stick (110), respectively.
  7. The arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the dry stick (110) has a thickness that extends in a Z-direction, which Z-direction is perpendicular to the Y-direction; and wherein the first shadow (111) on the carrier (115) is created by light from the first light source (160) and the part of the dry stick (110) extending in the Z-direction; and wherein the image analysis of the image (300) comprises detecting that two or more dry sticks (110) have been stacked onto each other on the carrier (115) in the Z-direction, by: estimating extension (w) of the first shadow (111) of the part of the dry stick (110) on the carrier (115) in the Y-direction before the milk sample is applied to the dry stick (110); comparing the estimated shadow extension (w) with an expected shadow extension value; and, when the estimated shadow extension (w) exceeds the expected shadow extension value, generating a forward signal to be provided to the drive unit (170) to forward the carrier (115) in the Y-direction, to a subsequent dry stick (110) on the carrier (115).
  8. The arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the dry stick (110) comprises: a sample pad (210) for receiving the milk sample; a conjugate pad (230) comprising conjugate (270); an indication zone (250) with a test line (251) and a control line (252), arranged to indicate the biomarker of the milk sample, based on the conjugate (270); an absorbent pad (260) for absorbing the milk sample; and a porous membrane (240) for receiving a capillary flow of the milk sample from the sample pad (210) via the conjugate pad (230) and the indication zone (250) to the absorbent pad (260), thereby forwarding conjugate (270) dispersed into the milk sample to the indication zone (250); and wherein the image (300) captured by the camera (120) depicts at least a part of the absorbent pad (260), and the first shadow (111) of the part of the absorbent pad (260) on the carrier (115); the controller (130) is configured to detect unsuccessful flowing of the applied milk sample through the porous membrane (240) to the absorbent pad (260) of the dry stick (110), by: estimating an extension (w) of the first shadow (111) of the absorbent pad (260) on the carrier (115) in the Y-direction, at a determined time period after having applied the milk sample; comparing the estimated shadow extension (w) of the first shadow (111) of the absorbent pad (260) on the carrier (115) with an expected reference shadow value; and discarding the dry stick (110) when the estimated shadow extension (w) of the first shadow (111) of the absorbent pad (260) on the carrier (115) is smaller than the expected reference shadow value.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This document discloses an arrangement. More particularly, an arrangement is described, arranged to align a needle and a dry stick in order to apply a milk sample of an animal to the dry stick when the dry stick is positioned in a milk sample apply position in which the needle is aligned with the dry stick, wherein the dry stick is configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of the applied milk sample. BACKGROUND On an animal farm, it is important to keep the animals healthy in order to enhance milk/ meat production. On a dairy farm, for example, it is very important to inseminate animals at an optimal moment in order to successfully fertilise the cow. It is important to find the right moment to inseminate each individual animal in the farm, for efficiency reasons. In case the animal is not successfully inseminated, milk production is affected. Several biomarker measurements may be made on the animal, such as e.g. measuring levels of progesterone, LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase), BHB (Beta-Hydroxybutyrat) and urea. Thereby important information concerning e.g. heat detection and/ or pregnancy of the individual animal may be made (based on measured progesterone level), as well as mastitis (based on LDH) and ketosis (based on BHB). Also, the energy balance may be estimated (based on urea). A milk analysis apparatus/ service module may be arranged to cooperate with a milk extracting arrangement, for regularly analysing milk samples of the animals, e.g. at or around the moment of a milking session. The milk analysis apparatus/ service module may extract a milk sample and provide it on a dry stick/ lateral flow stick/ lateral flow test strip, or similar. The milk may be diluted with a diluent, which also may be used to rinse the tubings between test sessions. The optional diluent may be provided in a liquid container. Document WO 2018236271 shows an example of a milk analysis apparatus of this type. Thereby, a farmer/ operator is provided with important information concerning each individual animal. The biomarker such as progesterone may be measured of all individual animals at the farm with a high degree of automation. An emerging trend is to reduce width of lateral flow sticks in order to save material. Thereby, material is saved and the cost for the dry stick is reduced. 5mm is often regarded as a prior art minimum recommended width of the dry stick. In case the width is more narrowly reduced, for example to 4mm, 3.5mm, 3mm, 2.5mm, 2mm, etc., or when the lateral edge/s is/ are incorrectly cut, for example several, problems may emerge. A disadvantage is that the narrower width the dry stick has, the more challenging will it be to align the needle with the dry stick and apply the extracted milk sample onto the dry stick, i.e. to direct the needle to the sample pad of the dry stick. In case the milk sample is applied aside of the dry stick, the biomarker measurement will fail. It would be desired to find a reliable way of applying the milk sample to a dry stick, also when the dry stick is very narrow in relation to the conventional width of about 5mm. SUMMARY It is therefore an object of this invention to solve at least some of the above problems and enable application of a milk sample of an animal to the dry stick also when the dry stick is very narrow, such as for example the dry stick has a width of about 1-3 mm, preferably 2-2.5 mm. According to a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by an arrangement arranged to align a needle and a dry stick in order to apply a milk sample of an animal to the dry stick when the dry stick is positioned in a milk sample apply position. The dry stick is configured to indicate at least one biomarker value of the applied milk sample. A biomarker, or biological marker, generally refers to a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition of the animal. The biomarker value measurement may be associated with pregnancy/ reproduction of the animal. The arrangement comprises a carrier, comprising at least one dry stick. The carrier has a longitudinal extension, extending in a Y- direction. The carrier may for example be embodied as a carrier tape, on which the dry stick, or plurality of dry sticks are arranged. Alternatively, the carrier may be embodied as a blister package. Also, the arrangement comprises a tube element arranged to receive the milk sample of the animal and the needle. The needle is connected to the tube element, wherein the needle is arranged to receive the milk sample of the animal via the tube element and apply the milk sample to the dry stick. In addition, the arrangement also comprises a first light source directed to illuminate the dry stick for creating a first shadow of the dry stick on the carrier. The first light source may be embodied as a lamp, or flash. The arrangement additionally comprises a camera configured to capture an image of at least a part of the dry stick and the first shadow of the part of t