Abstract:
A system comprises a milking box, a robotic attacher, a sensor, and a controller. The milking box has a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock. The stall comprises a first exit gate on a first side of the stall leading to a first sorting region and a second exit gate on a second side of the stall leading to a second sorting region. The robotic attacher extends from the rear between the hind legs of the dairy livestock, move in at least one direction along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, and attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock. The sensor identifies the dairy livestock within the milking box stall. The controller selects and opens the first exit gate or the second exit gate based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock in order to direct the first dairy livestock into either the first sorting region or the second sorting region.
Abstract:
A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprises moving a carriage along a track. The carriage carries a robotic arm and the track is adjacent to a stall of a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock. The robotic arm comprises a first member pivotally attached to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member. The method continues by extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that a spray tool of the spray tool member is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.
Abstract:
A system includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, and first and second side walls extending between the front wall and the rear wall. The first side wall includes a gate, and the second side wall is spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a milking box stall that accommodates a dairy livestock. The system includes an equipment portion adjacent to the rear wall. It houses a separation container that receives milk to be discarded from the dairy livestock. The equipment portion further houses a robotic attacher that extends from behind and between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.
Abstract:
A robotic attacher comprises a main arm, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to the supplemental arm. The gripping portion comprises at least one nozzle and is operable to rotate such that during a first mode of operation, the nozzle is positioned away from the top of the gripping portion, and during a second mode of operation, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.
Abstract:
A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller receives an indication that a stall of a rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located has moved into an area adjacent a robotic arm that is detached from the rotary milking platform. The controller also determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.
Abstract:
A system for operating a robotic arm comprises a carriage and a robotic arm. The carriage is mounted on a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform having a substantially circular perimeter and a stall for a dairy livestock. The carriage moves along a substantially straight portion of the track tangent to and outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform at a rate based at least in part upon a speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The carriage moves in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform and such movement of the carriage is independent of any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm extends between the legs of the dairy livestock, and remains extended between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm.
Abstract:
A method for applying a substance to the teats of a dairy livestock comprises extending a robotic arm between the legs of a dairy livestock positioned in a stall. The method continues by rotating a linear member of a spray tool about an axis that is perpendicular to the robotic arm, wherein the linear member has a perimeter that lies within an outer perimeter of the robotic arm when the robotic arm extends between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. The method continues by discharging a substance as the linear member rotates.
Abstract:
A system includes a milking box and a robotic attacher. The milking box has a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock. The robotic attacher extends under the dairy livestock and comprises a nozzle. The robotic attacher is operable to rotate such that, during a first operation, the nozzle is positioned generally on the bottom of the robotic attacher, and during a second operation, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the robotic attacher.
Abstract:
A method for determining a spray position for a spray tool includes accessing an image signal generated by a camera, the image signal corresponding to at least an udder of a dairy livestock. The method further includes processing the accessed image signal to determine a tangent to the rear and a tangent to the bottom of the udder of the dairy livestock. The method concludes by determining a spray position from which a spray tool may apply disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock, wherein the spray position is a position relative to the intersection of the two tangents.