In a control apparatus that controls communication of a telexistence system including a slave robot and an operating device, a state acquisition part repeatedly acquires status reports respectively from the operating device, the slave robot, and a plurality of virtual routers that connect the operating device and the slave robot while communication between the operating device and the slave robot is established. A path determination part determines a communication path for transmitting a control instruction for controlling the motion of the slave robot to the slave robot on the basis of the acquired status reports when the state acquisition part acquires the status reports. An instruction transmitting part transmits an instruction for forming the communication path determined by the path determination part to each of the plurality of virtual routers.

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes determining that a stall of a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock is located adjacent to a track that has a carriage carrying a robotic arm. The method continues by communicating a first signal that causes operation of a first actuator such that the carriage moves along the track in relation to the rotary milking platform and independent of any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milking platform and in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The method concludes by communicating one or more additional signals that causes operation of one or more actuators of the robotic arm such that at least a portion of the robotic arm extends between the hind legs of a dairy livestock.

A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image of the rear of dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform and, in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. 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.

A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a camera, a controller and a robotic arm. The camera captures an image of a rear of a dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform. The controller receives the image and in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. 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.

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. The system further includes a controller operable to cause at least a portion of the robotic arm to extend between the hind legs of a dairy livestock such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

A robotic attacher retrieves first and second cups from the right side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching the first cup to the right front teat and a second cup to the left front teat of the dairy livestock. The robotic attacher retrieves third and fourth cups from the right side of the equipment area and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching the third cup to the right rear teat and the fourth cup to the left rear teat.

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock comprises moving a robotic arm along a track in relation to a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform. The rotary milking platform has a substantially circular perimeter. The track is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform. At least a portion of the track is straight and offset in relation to the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm comprises an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track, and a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member. The method further comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which it may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

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.

A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a camera, a controller and a robotic arm. The camera captures an image of a rear of a dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform. The controller receives the image and in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. 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.

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.