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: A system for operating a robotic arm comprises a carriage, a controller communicatively coupled to the carriage and a robotic arm coupled to the carriage. The carriage is mounted on a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock. The carriage moves along the track in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The controller determines a rate for the carriage to move along the track based at least in part upon a speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm extends between the legs of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A system includes a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image signal of an udder of a dairy livestock, and determines a spray position by processing the accessed image signal 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. A robotic arm communicatively coupled to the controller positions a spray tool at the spray position.

Abstract: A method comprises 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.