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 method, comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to close, and by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.

Abstract: A system includes a first milking box stall cluster comprising a first plurality of milking box stalls and a first robotic attacher associated with the first milking box stall cluster. The first robotic attacher is positioned to service each of the first plurality of milking box stalls. The system further includes a second milking box cluster comprising a second plurality of milking box stalls. It is positioned adjacent to the first milking box stall cluster. A second robotic attacher is associated with the second milking box stall cluster and is positioned to service each of the second plurality of milking box stalls.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a front wall, a rear wall positioned substantially parallel to the front wall, and first and second side walls each 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 of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The system includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall. The equipment portion houses a robotic attacher configured to extend 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: In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first edge of a dairy livestock, determine a second edge of the dairy livestock, determine a third edge of the dairy livestock, and determine a fourth edge of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes a milking cup, a pulsating device coupled to the milking cup, a robotic arm comprising a gripper, and a controller communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the pulsating device. The controller is operable to instruct the gripper of the robotic arm to grip the milking cup, instruct the robotic arm to move the milking cup proximate to a teat of a dairy livestock, and instruct the robotic arm to move the milking cup towards the teat. The controller is further operable to instruct the pulsating device to apply pressure to the milking cup before attaching the milking cup to the teat and instruct the gripper of the robotic arm to release the milking cup.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic attacher comprising a main arm and a supplemental arm operable to extend into a stall portion of a milking box. A camera couples to the supplemental arm. The supplemental arm comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray the camera with a cleanser.

Abstract: A robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat.

Abstract: A system includes a carriage track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, a robot carriage mounted to the carriage track, and a controller. The controller causes the robot carriage to move linearly along the carriage track in conjunction with a rotational movement of the rotary milking platform such that a first linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a first rotational position of a milking stall of the rotary milking platform and a second linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a second rotational position of the milking stall of the rotary milking platform.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a packaged terminal device for killing pests in an affected area includes a housing configured to be positioned at least partially within an affected area, a fan positioned within the housing, and one or more heating elements positioned within the housing. The fan is operable to draw a flow of air from the affected area into the housing. The one or more heating elements are operable to generate heated air by transferring heat to the flow of air. The packaged terminal device further includes a control unit operable to control the operation of the one or more heating elements in order to cause the packaged terminal device to operate in either a first mode or a second mode. In the first mode, the operation of the one or more heating elements is controlled such that sufficient heated air is generated to heat at least a portion of the affected area to a temperature less than or equal to a first predefined temperature.

Abstract: A method for killing pests in an affected area of a structure, comprises positioning a heat exchanger unit within an affected area, coupling a first end of an inlet hose to a faucet, and coupling a second end of the inlet hose to an inlet port of the heat exchanger unit such that the heat exchanger unit may receive a flow of water from the faucet. The heat exchanger unit generates heated air by transferring heat from the flow of water received from the faucet to air flowing through the heat exchanger unit. The method continues by positioning an electric heater proximate to the heat exchanger unit, the electric heater operable to further heat the heated air emitted by the heat exchanger unit to a target temperature greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the further heated air being emitted into the affected area.

Abstract: A milking box comprises a stall portion and a backplane positioned in the stall portion. The backplane moves toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane. The backplane moves toward the front of stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface.

Abstract: A system for processing an image comprises a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock. A processor is communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor accesses a first pixel having a first depth location, and a second pixel having a second depth location. The processor determines that the second depth location is not within a threshold distance of the first depth location, and discards the second pixel from the image based at least in part upon the determination.

Abstract: A system comprises a memory operable to store light intensity information for a plurality of neighboring pixels of an image that includes a dairy livestock. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor determine that a difference between the light intensity information for a first pixel of the plurality of neighboring pixels and at least some of the other neighboring pixels exceeds a threshold. The processor further discards the first pixel and determines a location of a teat of the dairy livestock based on the image, excluding the discarded pixel.

Abstract: A milking system includes a rotary milking platform having a plurality of milking stalls and a plurality of milking devices, each milking device configured for attachment to the teats of a dairy livestock located in a corresponding milking stall of the rotary milking platform. The system further includes one or more robotic devices operable to perform one or more functions, including preparing the teats of a dairy livestock for the attachment of a milking apparatus, attaching a milking apparatus to the teats of a dairy livestock, and applying a sanitizing agent to the teats of a dairy livestock subsequent to the removal of a milking apparatus from the teats of the dairy livestock. Each of the one or more functions performed by the one or more robotic devices is performed during a period of time when the rotary milking platform is substantially stationary.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, robotic attacher comprises a supplemental arm comprising a fixed portion and a gripping portion. The fixed portion comprises a pivot assembly and a rotating assembly. The pivot assembly pivots the gripping portion between maximum-left, maximum-right, and centered positions. The rotating assembly rotates the gripping portion between upright and upside down positions. The gripping portion comprises a gripper comprising claw arms operable to open and close.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a robotic arm. The robotic arm is operable to extend between the legs of a dairy livestock located in a milking stall of a rotary milking platform. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the robotic arm. The controller is operable to determine whether a milking claw is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock. The controller is also operable to control the robotic arm to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock based at least in part on whether the milking claw is attached.

Abstract: A milking robot comprising a movable arm and a plurality of grippers. The movable arm has a length in a longitudinal direction. The plurality of grippers are swivably mounted to the movable arm such that each gripper 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: 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.