Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to command the robotic arm to move to a location of an expected teat position of a dairy livestock and to command the laser to perform two scans of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to determine whether a first teat is found in both of the scans, and if so, determine whether locations of the first teat in the two scans are within a predetermined distance of each other. The processor is further configured to, in response to determining that locations of the first teat in the two scans are within the predetermined distance of each other, command the robotic arm to move to a location corresponding to the location of the first teat and to command the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat.

Abstract: A method includes housing a dairy livestock in a stall portion of a milking box and retrieving, by a robotic attacher, a cup. For each of a plurality of teats of a dairy livestock, the method further uses the robotic arm to perform the steps of attaching the cup to the teat, detaching the cup from the teat, and maintaining the cup within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to the first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The method concludes by retracting the cup into an equipment area of the milking box after detaching the cup from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to command the robotic arm to move to a first location corresponding to an expected teat position of a first teat. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first teat is found in a first scan by the laser, and if so, command the robotic arm to move to a second location corresponding to the location in the scan. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first teat is found in a second scan by the laser, and if so, determine whether the first teat is within a predetermined distance from a current location of the robotic arm. If the first teat is within the predetermined distance from the current location of the robotic arm, the processor commands the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm and a controller. The controller accesses a first image and a second image generated by a first camera. The controller determines a reference point based at least in part on the first image. The controller determines a position of a teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the second image. The controller instructs the robotic arm to grip a milking cup and move it towards the determined position of the teat between the hind legs of the dairy livestock from the rear. The controller then instructs the robotic arm to release the milking cup, to move in an upward direction towards an udder of the dairy livestock, and to move away from the teat.

Abstract: A system for controlling the position of a robot carriage includes a linear carriage track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, a robot carriage positioned on the carriage track such that the robot carriage may move along the carriage track, and a controller. The controller determines a rotational movement of a milking stall of the rotary milking platform, and determines a linear movement of the robot carriage on the carriage track corresponding to the rotational movement of the milking stall of the rotary milking platform. The controller further communicates a signal to a carriage actuator coupled to the robot carriage and the carriage track. The signal causes the carriage actuator to move the robot carriage along the carriage track according to the determined linear movement as the rotary milking platform rotates.

Abstract: A system comprising a robotic arm, a plurality of grabbers, a sensor, and a preparation cup. The robotic arm has a first end and a recessed portion. The grabbers are coupled to the robotic arm at the first end. The sensor is positioned inside the recessed portion of the robotic arm at a first distance from the first end and at a first angle. The preparation cup is coupled to wings having a body portion, a first extended portion, and a second extended portion. The body portion is coupled to a portion of the preparation cup, the first extended portion extends in a first direction and the second extended portion extends in a second direction. The wings are operable to be magnetically coupled to the plurality of grabbers via the first and second extended portions.

Abstract: A method for operating a valve, comprises directing fluid flow through a housing of the valve, wherein the fluid flows into the housing through a housing inlet and flows out of the housing through a housing outlet. The method continues by directing a first electric current into a solenoid coupled to the housing to generate a first magnetic field, wherein the first magnetic field exerts a force upon a plunger positioned inside the housing and causes the plunger to magnetically connect to a magnet. The method continues by directing a second electrical current into the solenoid to generate a second magnetic field, wherein the second magnetic field exerts a force upon the plunger causing the plunger to disconnect from the magnet and engage with the housing outlet. Fluid flows into the inlet through a milking hose, and fluid flows out of the outlet into a milking pipeline.

Abstract: A robotic arm maneuvers a teat preparation cup and executes instructions from a robotic arm controller. The controller comprises an interface, a memory, and a processor. The processor instructs the sensor to perform a first scan. If the first scan discovers a first set of teats, the processor moves the robotic arm a first distance and instructs the sensor to perform a second scan. If the second scan discovers a second set of teats, the processor moves the robotic arm to a location under the first teat, and instructs the sensor to perform a third scan. The processor determines if the third scan discovers a third set of teats. If each of the first set, second set, and third set of discovered teats comprises the first teat, the processor instructs the robotic arm to attach the preparation cup to the first teat.

Abstract: A system comprises a memory operable to store first light intensity information for a first pixel of an image that includes a dairy livestock, and second light intensity information for a second pixel of the image. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to determine that a difference between the first light intensity information and the second light intensity information exceeds a threshold, and discard one of the first pixel or the second pixel from the image.

Abstract: A milk meter operably coupled to a controller, the milk meter comprising an inlet, an outlet, an inner column coupled to an opening of the outlet. The milk meter further comprises a conductivity sensor comprising a first conductive strip positioned at a first portion of the milk meter and a second conductive strip positioned substantially parallel to the first conductive strip wherein the conductivity sensor measures a change in resistance between the first and second conductive strips as fluid collects inside the milk meter before the fluid exits the milk meter through the outlet opening. The controller is operable to receive data about the fluid from the conductivity sensor and calculate a total quantity of fluid flow through the milk meter over a period of time.

Abstract: A milking cup comprising a body having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion has a first lip formed thereon and the bottom portion has a second lip formed thereon. The first lip and the second lip are separated by a distance. The milking cup further comprises a rotating shell positioned between and secured by the first lip and the second lip, wherein the rotating shell encircles the body and is operable to rotate around the body independently of the movement of the other portions of the body. The rotating shell has a length that corresponds to the distance between the first lip and the second lip.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a housing with an input port and a first output port. A piston is disposed within a bore of the housing and includes a bypass via disposed transversely within the bore and a bypass tube disposed longitudinally within the bore. The bypass tube is configured to provide a flow path from the bypass via to a second output port on the bypass tube. The piston includes a sleeve disposed concentrically around the bypass tube. An interior chamber is defined by an exterior surface of the sleeve and an interior surface of the bore of the housing. The piston is configurable between a first configuration that provides a first flow path between the input port and the first output port via the interior chamber and a second configuration that provides a second flow path between the input port and the second output port via the bypass tube.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm positioned in an equipment area of a milking box that includes a stall portion housing a dairy livestock with four teats. The robotic arm retrieves a cup, and for a plurality of teats of the dairy livestock, the robotic arm attaches the cup to a teat, detaches the cup from the teat, and maintains the cup within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to a first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The cup is retracted into the equipment portion of the milking box after it is detached from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: An air mover comprising a housing with a top portion is disclosed. A mounting bracket is recessed into the housing through the top portion of the housing. The mounting bracket comprises a plurality of top chords intersecting at a first portion of an inner web and a plurality of bottom chords intersecting at a second portion of the inner web. The mounting bracket also has a base plate coupled to the plurality of bottom chords. A motor is coupled to the base plate of the mounting bracket. An impeller is coupled to the motor. The air mover further comprises a housing cover that has an inlet ring positioned on the top portion of the housing. The housing cover is coupled to the mounting bracket via the mounting flanges and a portion of the inlet ring protrudes into the impeller inlet inside the housing.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm, a board coupled to the robotic arm, and a processor. The imaging device captures imaging data of a rearview of a dairy livestock through a field of view of the imaging device. The board is able to pivot from a down position to an up position and has an aperture through which the imaging device can pass through when the board lowers from the up position to the down position. The processor is coupled to both the imaging device and the board and is configured to identify a tail of the dairy livestock within the imaging data captured by the imaging device and send one or more instructions to raise the board from the down position to the up position, thereby moving the tail out of the field of view of the imaging device.

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 supplemental arm moves in an x-direction and a y-direction. The gripping portion moves in a first z-direction in relation to the supplemental arm. The gripping portion also moves in a second z-direction opposite the first z-direction in relation to the supplemental arm.

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 milking robot comprises a movable arm having a length in a longitudinal direction, and at least one gripper swivably mounted to the movable arm such that it moves between a first position parallel to the movable arm's longitudinal direction and a second position at which the gripper extends sideways in a horizontal plane away from the movable arm's longitudinal direction.

Abstract: This invention is related to a double grab, its rinsing cup and milking machine provided therewith, and the method for automatically applying teat cups to the teats of an udder of an animal to be milked. The double grab, according to the invention, includes: —a first housing part provided with a first magnet designed to hold a first teat cup; —a second housing part, installed substantially in a horizontal plane next to the first housing part, provided with a second magnet designed to hold a second teat cup whereby each housing part is provided with separate pivoting means that can be activated and is designed to make the related housing part pivot around a pivoting axis which in use, extends substantially in a horizontal direction, substantially in a widthwise direction of the arm.

Abstract: A system comprises a memory operable to store first light intensity information for a first pixel of an image that includes a dairy livestock, and second light intensity information for a second pixel of the image, wherein the second pixel is adjacent to the first pixel. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to determine that a difference between the first light intensity information and the second light intensity information exceeds a threshold, and discard one of the first pixel or the second pixel from the image.