In recent decades, agriculture and livestock farming have undergone significant technological advancements—from basic automation to the emergence of autonomous robots that support, and in some cases replace, farmers.
In livestock farming, key daily tasks include forage distribution, bunk cleaning, and milking. Foraging involves two steps: laying the feed and repositioning it as animals push it away while eating. While the initial laying requires large, complex machinery, repositioning can be done with simpler tools.
Today, small autonomous robots are available for this task. These robots follow fixed paths on flat, obstacle-free concrete lanes. However, their limited autonomy (about one hour) and inability to navigate uneven terrain restrict their use to one or two stables. Multi-stable solutions require dedicated paths, buried guide wires, and still struggle with obstacle avoidance.
This project, funded by Fondazione LGH E.T.S. aims to develop an advanced autonomous robot for barn automation with the following features:
- Over one hour of working autonomy to serve multiple stables per charge
- Autonomous navigation across varying terrain without the need for guide lines
- Real-time obstacle detection and avoidance
Designed for farmers in the Cremona area and similar small-to-medium-sized operations, this solution addresses the high cost and infrastructure demands of existing systems.
