Teat Candidate Identification Vision System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dairy milking systems face challenges in accurately positioning robotic arms due to the unpredictable movement of dairy livestock, such as cows, and the variability in teat positions, which leads to inefficiencies and potential collisions with legs and tails.
Innovation Solution
A vision system incorporating a laser, 3D camera, and processor that uses teat candidate position information to determine teat identities and positions, allowing real-time adjustments to avoid legs and tails, and to accurately locate and identify teats without hard coding specific movements or positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If hard coded movements and positions are used for robotic arm operations, then the system structure is simple, but the accuracy and adaptability to livestock movement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces hard-coded mechanical positioning with a vision-based detection system using laser and 3D camera to dynamically identify teat positions and livestock body features, allowing the robotic arm to adapt to movement without complex mechanical adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures images of the livestock, detects teat positions and body landmarks (tail, legs), and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust robotic arm positioning in real-time, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and positioning accuracy
2Reliability
If real-time vision detection is implemented to track livestock movement, then the accuracy and adaptability improve, but the device complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system is segmented into specialized components: laser for depth mapping, 3D camera for spatial positioning, and processor for image analysis. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently without requiring a fully complex integrated system
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses detected body landmarks (tail position, leg positions) as intermediary reference points to indirectly determine teat positions, simplifying the detection process compared to directly tracking all teat movements
3Productivity
If the robotic arm operates at high speed without real-time detection, then productivity is high, but the harmful effects from collisions with legs and tails increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the livestock's body position, tail location, and leg positions before the robotic arm executes milking operations, allowing high-speed operation while avoiding collisions through advance positioning information
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time vision feedback continuously monitors livestock movement during milking operations, allowing the system to maintain high productivity while dynamically adjusting to avoid harmful collisions with legs and tail
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 vision system enhances the accuracy and speed of robotic arm operations by enabling real-time detection and compensation for leg and teat movement, as well as avoidance of tails, thereby improving the efficiency and safety of dairy milking processes.
Implementation Method 1
a laser configured to measure a distance to the one or more teats and to other features of the dairy livestock
Implementation Method 2
a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture an image of the dairy livestock
Data Source
AI summary
A system that includes a laser, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine the position of a first teat candidate relative to a second teat candidate, assign the first teat candidate and the second teat candidate as a left teat candidate or right teat candidate, and receive a teat identifier for a target teat. The processor is configured to determine whether the left or right teat candidate is within a teat location range of the target teat and to link the teat identifier with the left teat candidate or right teat candidate based on the determination.