M ANURE C LEANER R OBOT By: Marcus Ortuno & John Audlin

P ROBLEM We have been tasked with the design and fabrication of a robotic prototype capable of maneuvering within a typical cow barn environment and relocating manure to a disposal area.

B ACKGROUND 2 people are needed at the VTC farm during milking: one for doing the milking and the other for cleaning the area of manure. A cow can produce ≈ pounds of manure in one day. (80% water) Poor hygiene increases risk of coliform mastitis and other health concerns. Existing robotic solutions require the barn to be built around the robot

P ROPOSED S OLUTION Manure is stored in a small body, dumps frequently Navigates “lawn mower style” Uses Ultra-Sonic and Infrared Sensors

S YSTEM D IAGRAM

K EY S PECIFICATIONS Range Finder Sensor Specs Short range: cm Long range: cm IR Thermometer -40°C to 80°C Robot Travel Speed 1 to 4mph Robot Dimensions 5’ x 2’ x 2’

D ESIGN C HALLENGES Software Dump Routine Sequential Passes ‘Live’ Interference Hardware Dumping Mechanism Turning/Maneuvering Acquiring Conveyor Belt

M ANAGEMENT Responsibilities Evenly Shared Workload (Subtasks to be designated as needed) Budget (Preliminary) Sensors ~ $80

Q UESTIONS ?