Abstract: A robotic attacher retrieves a preparation cup from an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches and detaches the preparation cup to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching and detaching the preparation cup to the left front teat, the right front teat, the right rear teat, and the left rear teat.

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 includes a robotic arm on which at least one camera is attached. It further includes a memory and a controller communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory stores historical information associated with a dairy livestock. The historical information include a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock. The controller moves the camera on the robotic arm toward the previously-determined location of the teat. The camera generates an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which it is moved, and the controller determines a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image.

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.

Abstract: A system includes a milking stall to accommodate a dairy livestock and a robotic attacher. 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 robotic attacher comprises a gripping portion, a vision system positioned on a first surface of the gripping portion, and at least one nozzle positioned on a second surface of the gripping portion. The gripping portion is rotates about a longitudinal axis such that during a first time, the vision system is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion, and during a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

Abstract: A system includes a camera, a controller and a robotic arm. The camera generates an image of an udder of a dairy livestock. The controller determines a position of the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The controller further determines a spray position based at least in part upon the determined position of the udder of the dairy livestock. Determining the spray position includes processing the accessed image to determine a tangent at the rear of the udder and a tangent at the bottom of the udder. The spray position is a position relative to the intersection of the two tangents. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and positions a spray tool at the spray position.

Abstract: A method comprises extending a robotic attacher under a dairy livestock positioned in a milking stall, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a nozzle that is positioned generally on the bottom of the robotic attacher during a first operation. The method further comprises rotating the robotic attacher during a second operation such that the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the robotic attacher.

Abstract: A system includes a first camera, a second camera, and a processor wherein the second camera has a higher resolution than the first camera. The processor is communicatively coupled to the first camera and the second camera and is operable to determine a center coordinate of an udder of a dairy livestock based at least in part upon visual data captured by the first camera. The processor is also operable to determine a position of a teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the center coordinate and visual data captured by the second camera.

Abstract: A system comprises a robotic arm operable to extend between the legs of a dairy livestock located in a milking stall of a rotary milking platform, a camera operable to generate an image signal corresponding to a rear of the dairy livestock, and a controller communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the camera. The controller determines whether a milking claw is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock by receiving the image signal generated by the camera and processing the image signal. If it is determined based on the image signal that the milking claw is not attached, the controller controls the robotic arm to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock. If it is determined based on the image signal that the milking claw is attached, the controller controls the robotic arm not to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A method for operating a robotic arm, comprises determining a speed of rotation of a rotary milking platform, the rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock. The method continues by moving a carriage along a track positioned adjacent to the rotary milking platform at a rate that is based at least in part upon the determined speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform, wherein the carriage moves independently of the rotary milking platform and in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The method continues by extending a robotic arm that is coupled to the carriage between the legs of the dairy livestock, wherein the robotic arm remains extended between the legs of the dairy livestock for a period of time as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. The method concludes by retracting the robotic arm from between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system comprises a milk collecting system, a teat cup holder, and a cleansing hose system. The milk collecting system comprises a teat cup, a milk collector, and a milking hose system connecting the teat cup to the milk collector. The teat cup holder stores the teat cup of the milk collecting system such that a nozzle of the teat cup holder substantially aligns with an opening of the teat cup. The cleansing hose system connects the nozzle of the teat cup holder to one or more cleanser sources and operable to backwash at least a portion of the milk collecting system by injecting a cleanser from one or more of the cleanser sources through the nozzle and into the teat cup.

Abstract: A milking robot comprises a robotic arm, a camera coupled to the robotic arm, a camera-facing nozzle coupled to the robotic arm, and a controller. The robotic arm extends in a longitudinal direction between the hind legs and from the rear of a dairy livestock located in a milking stall. The camera-facing nozzle sprays a protective layer of the camera with a cleanser. The controller communicates a signal instructing the camera-facing nozzle to spray the camera with cleanser.

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: In certain embodiments, a system for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes a carriage mounted on a track, the carriage operable to translate laterally along the track. The system further includes a robotic arm including a first member pivotally attached to the carriage such that the first member may rotate about a point of attachment to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member such that the second member may rotate about a point of attachment to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member such that the spray tool member may rotate about a point of attachment to the second member. The robotic arm further includes a spray tool attached to the spray tool member.

Abstract: A milking box comprises a stall portion having a longitudinal axis. A backplane is positioned in the stall portion and moves toward the rear of the stall portion along the longitudinal axis in response to pressure applied, and toward the front of the stall portion in response to pressure removed. A robotic attacher extends from the rear of the stall portion and between the hind legs of a dairy livestock. A controller determines the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion and determines a positional offset that increases as the dairy livestock moves toward the front of the stall and decreases as it moves toward the rear of the stall. The controller further communicates a signal to move the robotic attacher along the longitudinal axis. The amount of movement is determined at least in part according to the positional offset.

Abstract: A method for operating a robotic arm, comprises determining a speed of rotation of a rotary milking platform, the rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock. The method continues by moving a carriage along a track positioned adjacent to the rotary milking platform at a rate that is based at least in part upon the determined speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform, wherein the carriage moves independently of the rotary milking platform and in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The method continues by extending a robotic arm that is coupled to the carriage between the legs of the dairy livestock, wherein the robotic arm remains extended between the legs of the dairy livestock for a period of time as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. The method concludes by retracting the robotic arm from between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm.

Abstract: A spray tool coupled to a robotic arm that extends between the legs of dairy livestock, comprises a linear member and a plurality of spray nozzles. The linear member rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the robotic arm, and has a perimeter that lies within an outer perimeter of the robotic arm when the robotic arm extends between the legs of a dairy livestock. The plurality of spray nozzles are coupled to the linear member.

Abstract: A method of operating a robotic attacher, includes suspending a robotic attacher from a rail and extending the robotic attacher between the legs of a dairy livestock. The method continues by attaching milking equipment to the dairy livestock using a gripping portion of the robotic attacher during a milking operation, wherein the gripping portion has a nozzle that is positioned away from a teat of the dairy livestock during the milking operation. The method concludes by rotating the gripping portion of the robotic attacher so that the nozzle is positioned to face a teat of the dairy livestock during a spraying operation.

Abstract: A system for processing an image comprises a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor accesses a first pixel having a first depth location, a second pixel having a second depth location, and a third pixel having a third depth location. The processor determines that the second pixel is an outlier among the first pixel and the third pixel based upon the first depth location, the second depth location, and the third depth location, and discards the second pixel from the image based at least in part upon the determination.