Material flows

A method for sorting a flow of material, comprising:

• processing image data from a source of image data by a first data processing entity configured to provide a sorting application;
• processing said image data from the source of image data by a second data processing entity using a neural network configured to provide an analysis application, wherein the method further comprises:
• reducing the resolution of said image data from the source of image data prior to the processing by the sorting application;
• processing by the sorting application said reduced resolution image data;
• processing by the analysis application the higher resolution image data;
• processing by the first data processing entity all input data substantially in real-time;
• and
• providing by the first data processing entity the sorting based on use of artificial intelligence (AI) for decision making, using the second data processing entity in parallel to the first data processing entity for the analysis application using the neural network.

A sorting apparatus comprising:

• a data processing apparatus comprising:
• a first data processing entity configured to operate a sorting application for processing of image data from a source of image data;
• a second data processing entity configured to operate an analysis application using a neural network for processing said image data from the source of image data, the second data processing entity being configured for processing of higher resolution image data than the first data processing entity;
• and
• an image data resolution converter configured to reduce the resolution of said image data from the source of image data prior to processing by the sorting application of the first data processing entity;
• a chute comprising a curved material receiving section;
• a feed-forward tray for feeding material on the curved material receiving section of the chute;
• and
• separation equipment for separating items in the material based on control instructions from the data processing apparatus, wherein the first data processing entity is configured to process all input data substantially in real-time and is configured to provide the sorting based on use of artificial intelligence (AI) for decision making, and
• wherein the second data processing entity is used in parallel to the first data processing entity for the analysis application using the neural network.