Apparatus and methods for the volumetric and dimensional measurement of livestock
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.
1. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, the animal having first and second sides and a top portion, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first and second sides, a floor and an upper portion;
(b) a first camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image comprising an image of the first side of the animal;
(c) a second camera disposed proximate to said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image comprising an image of the top portion of the animal; and
(d) data processing means operably associated with said first and second cameras for acquiring said first and second range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images and for processing said plurality of acquired range images to first produce a three-dimensional point cloud data set corresponding generally to the shape of a least a portion of the surface of the animal and then to produce a three-dimensional mesh surface image corresponding generally to the shape of at least a portion of the animal.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a third camera disposed proximate said second side of the animal positioning device for obtaining a third range image comprising an image of the second side of the animal.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras comprise single lens reflex digital cameras.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a digital signal processing unit.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a personal computer.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including weighing means carried by the floor of the animal positioning device.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including illumination means carried by said positioning device for illuminating the target area.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said illumination means comprises an illuminator that includes a flash source, a pattern mask and a lens system for projecting a pattern onto the animal.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a fourth camera disposed on said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the animal.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras each comprise a range camera capable of acquiring an image of the scene comprising a multiplicity of pixels and converting said image into a grayscale image in which each pixel represents a surface elevation.
11. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, the animal having a first side, a second side and a top portion, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first an second sides, a floor and an upper portion;
(b) a range camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image of the first side of the animal, said first range image comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each pixel representing a surface elevation on the first side of the animal;
(c) a range camera disposed on said second side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the second side of the animal, said second range image comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each pixel representing a surface elevation on the second side of the animal;
(d) a range camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a third range image of the top portion of the animal, said third range image comprising a multiplicity of pixels, each pixel representing a surface elevation on the top portion of the animal;
(e) data processing means operably associated with said first, second and third range cameras for acquiring said first, second and third range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images an for processing said plurality of acquired range images to produce a three-dimensional data set corresponding generally to the shape of at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 further including a camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the animal.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said data processing means processes said plurality of acquired range images to produce a three-dimensional point cloud.
14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which said data processing means processes said three-dimensional point cloud to produce a mesh surface image generally corresponding to the shape of the animal.