Animal Weighing Platform with Natural Surface Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Animals take a significant amount of time to train for weighing on existing platforms due to foreign sensory stimuli, leading to reduced productivity in farming operations.
Innovation Solution
A weighing platform configured to conceal or diminish visual, tactile, olfactory, and auditory foreign stimuli by using natural or simulated materials such as soil, sand, or grass, which resembles the animal's natural environment, reducing hesitation and training time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional weighing platform is used, then the platform can accurately measure animal weight, but the animal requires extensive training time (two weeks) to overcome foreign sensory stimuli and settle on the platform
Solution Approach 1:
The platform surface is covered with natural materials (soil, sand, gravel, or grass) that match the local ground conditions where the animal normally walks. This local matching of surface properties eliminates foreign sensory stimuli at the critical contact points (hooves), allowing the animal to step onto the platform without hesitation and reducing training time from two weeks to two days while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The platform design allows adjustment of the natural material overlay to match different ground conditions (soil, sand, gravel, grass). By changing the surface parameters to match the animal's familiar environment, the platform eliminates sensory foreignness without compromising the underlying weighing mechanism's precision
2Strength
If a conventional weighing platform is used, then the platform structure can support animal weight, but the platform presents foreign visual and tactile stimuli that cause animal hesitation and constant movement
Solution Approach 1:
The platform surface is locally modified by overlaying natural materials that match the surrounding ground. This creates a seamless transition in visual and tactile properties at the platform edges, eliminating the foreign appearance and feel that cause animal hesitation. The underlying structural strength is maintained while the surface properties are optimized for animal acceptance
Solution Approach 2:
The platform surface copies the appearance, texture, and composition of the natural ground where the animal normally walks. By replicating the familiar ground characteristics on the platform surface, the animal perceives no difference between the surrounding area and the platform, eliminating visual and tactile foreign stimuli
3Ease of operation
If food is used to lure animals onto the platform, then animals will step onto the platform more readily, but this requires additional food resources and does not address the underlying foreign stimulus issue
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the previously harmful foreign sensory stimuli into beneficial familiar stimuli by overlaying natural materials that match the animal's environment. What was once a deterrent (foreign appearance and texture) becomes an attraction (familiar ground-like surface), eliminating the need for food lures and associated resource consumption
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 training period for animals is significantly reduced from two weeks to two days, allowing for more efficient weighing and minimizing operator time, enabling faster weight recording and improved productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a platform and/or associated structure for weighing an animal, the platform and/or associated structure being configured to conceal, or configured to facilitate concealment, from the animal of a foreign sensory stimulus of the platform and/or associated structure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a platform and/or associated structure for weighing an animal, the platform and/or associated structure being configured to conceal, or configured to facilitate concealment, from the animal of a foreign sensory stimulus of the platform and/or associated structure. The platform may be configured to retain a natural material (such as soil) or a simulated natural material on or about the platform and/or associated structure. The platform is typically incorporated into a weighing apparatus for use with larger animals such as cattle.