Abstract: A teat preparation liner comprising an inlet for fluid flow into the liner, an opening, a liner cavity and a spray ring. The liner cavity is positioned adjacent to the opening inside the liner and surrounds a portion of the liner. The spray ring has a hollow interior and a plurality of apertures. The spray ring is coupled to the inlet so that fluid flows from the inlet into the hollow interior of the spray ring and out of the spray ring through the plurality of apertures. The spray ring is positioned inside the liner cavity so that the plurality of apertures face the inside of the liner opening. The spray ring is operable to encircle a dairy animal teat that is positioned inside the liner via the liner opening to simultaneously direct fluid flow from the inlet onto multiple portions of the teat via the apertures.

Abstract: A vision system that includes a robotic arm and a three-dimensional (3D) camera operably coupled to a processor. The processor is configured to position the robotic arm adjacent to the dairy livestock and acquire a 3D image using the 3D camera. The processor is further configured to identify a set of teat candidates within the 3D image and to filter the set of teat candidates based on one or more filtering rules. The processor is further configured to determine an aggregate teat candidate score for the consolidated set of teat candidates, compare the aggregate teat candidate score to a score threshold value, and update teat location information for the dairy livestock in response to determining the aggregate teat candidate score is greater than or equal to the score threshold value.

Abstract: A system includes a cylinder and a piston that moves within the cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position. A vacuum port facilitates application of a vacuum pressure to the cylinder that results in a vacuum force being applied to the piston, which causes the piston to move toward a top end of the cylinder to the retracted position. A spring member applies a spring force to the piston when the piston is in the retracted position. The spring force offsets at least a portion of the vacuum force. A sensor generates a displacement signal in response to detecting movement of the piston from the retracted position toward the extended position. A control unit receives the displacement signal generated by the sensor and generates a valve control signal to be communicated to a valve located on a vacuum line connecting a vacuum source to the vacuum port.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine whether a first teat of a diary livestock is found in a first scan of the dairy livestock by the laser, and if so, command the robotic arm to move to a location corresponding to the location of the first teat. The processor is further configured to increment a counter associated with the first teat and then determine whether the counter equals a predetermined number. If the counter equals the predetermined number, the processor commands the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat. If the counter does not equal the predetermined number, the processor determines whether the first teat is found in a second scan by the laser. If the first teat is found in the second scan, the processor commands the robotic arm to attach the teat cup to the first teat.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine whether a distance between a left and right teat of a dairy livestock is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, and if so, command the robotic arm to move to a scan location that is between the left and right teats. The processor is further configured to command the laser to perform a scan of the teats after the robotic arm is at the scan location and to determine whether the left and right teats are found in the scan. If both the left and right teats are found in the scan, the processor commands the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to either the left or right teat.

Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine that a teat cup is to be attached to a front teat of a dairy livestock, and in response, determine an amount of separation between the front teat and a rear teat. The processor is further configured to calculate, if the amount of separation between the front and rear teats is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, an updated front teat position based on the amount of separation between the front and rear teats and command the robotic arm to move to the updated front teat position. The processor is further configure to determine whether the front teat is found in a scan of the dairy livestock by the laser, and if so, command the robotic arm to attach the teat cup to the front teat.

Abstract: A method includes positioning a robotic attacher under a dairy livestock located in a milking stall, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a nozzle. The method continues by rotating the robotic attacher such that the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the robotic attacher and performing a spraying operation using the nozzle. The method concludes by retracting the robotic attacher from under the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock comprises moving a robotic arm along a track in relation to a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform. The rotary milking platform has a substantially circular perimeter. The track is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform. At least a portion of the track is straight and offset in relation to the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm comprises an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track, and a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member. The method further comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which it may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A system comprising a teat preparation cup coupled to a vacuum pump. A first pressure sensor measures the vacuum level of the vacuum pump. A second pressure sensor measures vacuum level inside the preparation cup. The system further comprises a controller comprising an interface, a memory, and a processor. The processor determines if the vacuum pump has sufficient vacuum level and communicates instructions to induce a partial vacuum in the teat preparation cup. The processor determines if the teat preparation cup has a vacuum level greater than a vacuum threshold value and when this condition is achieved, communicates instructions to initiate a teat preparation cycle comprising allowing fluid flowing from a fluid source container through the teat preparation cup into a fluid disposal container.

Abstract: A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 2038, 203) of a diary livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image

Abstract: A system for processing an image includes a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock, wherein the image comprises a plurality of adjacent pixels, each pixel associated with a depth location. The system further includes a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor determines that the depth locations of a first portion of the adjacent pixels fluctuate beyond a predetermined threshold over time, and discards the first portion of the adjacent pixels from the image based at least in part upon the determination.

Abstract: A milking robot includes a movable arm having a first end that couples to a frame and a free extremity at a second end that extends telescopically in a longitudinal direction. The milking robot further includes at least one gripper coupled to the free extremity of the movable arm at the second end, wherein the gripper is extendable away from the movable arm in the longitudinal direction based at least in part upon the telescopic extension of the free extremity.

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. 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.

Abstract: A robotic attacher comprises a main arm suspended from a rail, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to an extension of the supplemental arm. The gripping portion comprises a first grabber positioned side-by-side with a second grabber. The first grabber is operable to attach a first teat cup to a first teat of a dairy livestock and the second grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the first grabber in conjunction with the first grabber attaching the first teat cup. The second grabber is operable to attach a second teat cup to a second teat of the dairy livestock and the first grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the second grabber in conjunction with the second grabber attaching the second teat cup.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning device (4) for cleaning and pretreating teats of an animal for milking, milking machine (2) provided therewith and method therefor. The cleaning device according to the invention comprises: a frame (52) provided with an arm (6); a cleaning head arranged on the arm and provided with a rotatable holder (12) on which one or more rotatable cleaning elements (14) are provided; and moving means (48, 50, 56) connected to the frame for displacing the cleaning head relative to the teats such that the teats are cleanable using the cleaning elements.

Abstract: A milking system includes an assembly, a controller, and a milking cluster configured to attach to one or more teats of a livestock. The assembly includes a clevis, a piston, a pulley system, and a sensor. The clevis includes a first member, a second member, a base member, and a cylinder. The cylinder is coupled to the base member. The piston is positioned at least partially within the cylinder, and is configured to move within the cylinder. The pulley system of the assembly includes a cord configured to be coupled to the milking cluster. The assembly includes a sensor configured to generate a displacement signal in response to detecting that a portion of the clevis is within a predefined distance of the sensor.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to access first and second success counters stored in the memory. The first success counter is associated with a first attach algorithm and the second success counter is associated with a second attach algorithm. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first success counter is greater than the second success counter. The processor is further configured to execute the first attach algorithm if the first success counter is greater than the second success counter, and to execute the second attach algorithm if the first success counter is not greater than the second success counter. The processor is further configured to increment the first success counter if the first attach algorithm is successful, and to increment the second success counter if the second attach algorithm is successful.

Abstract: A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture a 3D image of a rearview of a dairy livestock in a stall and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and s to identify a thigh gap region from the one or more regions. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region and demarcate a tail detection region. The processor is further configured to identify one or more tail candidates within the tail detection region, to identify a tail candidate that corresponds with a tail model as the tail, and to determine position information for the tail.

Abstract: A gripper mounted on an arm of a milking machine includes a first clamping part extending from the arm in a longitudinal direction, and a second claiming part extending from the arm in the longitudinal direction. The second clamping part is positioned substantially parallel to the first clamping part such that the first and second clamping parts are configured to hold a first teat cup. The gripper further includes a first conveying belt running lengthwise along the first clamping part in the longitudinal direction. The gripper further includes a second conveying belt running lengthwise along the second clamping part in the longitudinal direction. The first and second conveying belts transport the first teat cup in the longitudinal direction.