Figure 3. Robotic Mink Feeding syst

Figure 3. Robotic Mink Feeding system mounted onto a manually operated vehicle. (Source: Picture of a Minkpapir A/S vehicle solution, Conpleks Innovation.)3.2. System Configuration and Performance DemandsThe chosen robot is a four-wheeled vehicle with front-wheel steering and rear-wheel drive equipped with differential gearing, as illustrated in Figure 3. The mink feeding ground vehicle is able to transport a maximum load MlmaxMlmax of 600 kg. The robot receives sensory input from a vision system, an RFID tag reader, an IMU and rotary encoders installed on the back wheels and front wheel kingpins. The vision system is used to detect the entrance to the feeding area when the robot still is outside. The RFID tags are placed along the rows of mink cages to act as fixed location reference points, as illustrated in Figure 4. Fused sensory data are used to determine the current location and to enable the robot to perform its required actions in the environment. A feeder arm mounted on the robot is used to dispense the fodder on the cages (80 g) at the predetermined locations. When the robot moves into the feeding area, it stops to deploy the feeding arm and then begins the feeding procedure.