Robotic Injection System for Bovines Using Thermal Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Manual injection systems for bovines are inefficient, leading to high labor costs, errors in dosage, and potential harm due to inaccurate needle placement, with risks of infection and misidentification of animals.
Innovation Solution
A robotic injection system with a self-positioning robotic arm, assisted by a 2D guidance system and thermal camera, which automatically delivers predetermined doses of liquid materials, including vaccines and reproductive hormones, using RFID and camera identification to ensure accurate targeting and minimize human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual injection systems are used, then labor flexibility is maintained, but labor costs increase and errors in dosage and placement occur
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic injection system performs injections autonomously without continuous human intervention. The system identifies animals, positions itself, delivers precise dosages, and monitors injection pressure automatically, eliminating the need for manual operation while ensuring consistent accuracy through programmed control sequences and feedback mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical injection operations with an automated robotic system. The robotic arm with articulated joints substitutes human arm movements, while computer-controlled dosing mechanisms replace manual syringe operation, and sensor systems replace human visual assessment, thereby improving both efficiency and reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual injection systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but needle placement accuracy decreases leading to potential harm
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system uses computer-controlled positioning and sensor feedback to achieve precise needle placement, replacing manual visual estimation and hand coordination. This eliminates human error in targeting injection sites and ensures consistent penetration depth and angle, reducing tissue damage and infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates pressure sensors that provide real-time feedback during injection. The sensors monitor tissue resistance and injection pressure, automatically adjusting the injection process to prevent over-penetration or improper dosing, thereby minimizing harm to the animal while ensuring accurate delivery.
3Extent of automation
If robotic injection system is implemented, then labor costs decrease, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is designed to perform multiple functions within a single integrated platform: animal identification via RFID, navigation to target animals, precise positioning of the injection mechanism, dosage control, and pressure monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems while achieving high automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines several subsystems into an integrated robotic platform: the identification system, positioning system, injection mechanism, and monitoring system all work together as a coordinated unit. This merging reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate manual systems for each function.
4Productivity
If manual injection processes are used, then system cost is lower initially, but ongoing labor costs and error correction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system enables continuous injection operations without the interruptions required in manual processes. The system can automatically refill supplies, reposition between animals, and maintain injection readiness, eliminating downtime for organization and refilling that occurs with manual systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system autonomously manages its own operation including tracking injection progress, monitoring supply levels, and initiating refilling sequences when needed. This self-management eliminates the time loss associated with human operators needing to organize schedules and manually refill supplies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces labor costs, eliminates errors in dosage and placement, enhances animal health and herd management, increases milk production, and lowers death rates by providing precise and automated injections.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal camera can highlight the area and coordinate through laser technology the most ideal area for injection
Implementation Method 2
coordinate through laser technology the most ideal area for injection
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic injection system is herein described for delivering vaccines, reproductive hormones, and liquid materials to domestic herd animals. The robotic injection system includes a cooling-unit for storage of the liquid materials to be injected, a series of automatic gates to control the movement of herd animals, an RFID and camera ID reading system utilized for tracking identification numbers and medical history, a robotic arm to position and apply force in the injection process, and an injection mechanism for delivering injections to the patient. A streamlined system is described in delivering necessary injections to a mass number of domestic herd animals. A robotic injection system for injecting an accurate dosage of more than one fluid is described. For this description, bovines will be used as the primary example but this described invention also applies to other domestic herd animals such as sus, equus caballus, ovis aries, and capra aegagrus hircus.