Autonomous feed delivery platform for insects

Abstract

An autonomous feed delivery platform configured to navigate through a facility and deliver insect feed to multiple insect habitats located within the facility. In some cases, the feed delivery platform may be configured to deliver the feed to multiple insect habitats at substantially the same time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A feed delivery platform comprising:
 one or more communication interfaces;   one or more processors; and   computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:   receiving a signal;   initiating a feed delivery to one or more habitats in response to receiving the signal, individual ones of the one or more habitats associated with insect populations;   identifying a first habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment;   orienting a feed delivery apparatus with the first habitat;   delivering a desired amount of feed into the first habitat by the feed delivery apparatus;   determining that a power level associated with the feed delivery platform is below a first power threshold;   identifying a recharge station;   positioning the feed delivery platform with respect to the recharge station to initiate a recharge operation; and   determining the power level associated with the feed delivery platform has met or exceeded a second power threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The feed delivery platform as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the signal is received from a habitat. 
     
     
         3 . The feed delivery platform as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the signal is received from a management system. 
     
     
         4 . The feed delivery platform as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising
 at least one image capture device; and   wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 receive image data from the image capture device; 
 determine an obstruction exists on a path of the feed delivery platform based at least in part on the image data; 
 send a notification to a management system, the notification related to the obstruction; 
 receive second image data from the image capture device; and 
 determine, prior to orienting the feed delivery apparatus with the first habitat, that the obstruction has been removed from the path. 
   
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 one or more communication interfaces in wireless communication with one or more feed delivery platforms and one or more habitats;   one or more processors; and   computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:   receive data from the one or more habitats;   determine, from the data, that a feed level of a feed dais of a first habitat of the one or more habitats is below a feed threshold;   send a signal to a first feed delivery platform of the one or more feed delivery platforms, the signal to dispatch the first feed delivery platform to the first habitat; and   receive an amount associated with the feed dispensed into the first dais by the first feed delivery platform.   
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein sending the signal to the first feed delivery platform to dispatch the first feed delivery platform to the first habitat includes sending a navigation path to the first feed delivery platform. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein sending the signal to the first feed delivery platform to dispatch the first feed delivery platform to the first habitat includes sending a list of habitats that are low on feed, the list including the first habitat and at least one second habitat. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 determining from the data an issue with the first habitat; and   sending an alert to a device associated with facility operator, the alert related to the issue.   
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the issue is associated with at least one of:
 a health of an insect population within the first habitat;   a size of the insect population;   a developmental state of the insect population;   a cleanliness level of the habitat;   a presence of a foreign object within the habitat; or   a disruption to the feed dais.   
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 receiving second data from the first feed delivery platform;   determining from the second data an issue with the first feed delivery platform; and   sending an alert to a device associated with facility operator, the alert related to the issue.   
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the issue is associated with at least one of:
 an obstruction to a path of the first feed delivery platform;   a power level of the first feed delivery platform; or   a feed level of a hopper of the first feed delivery platform.   
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 sending a second signal to the first feed delivery platform, the second signal indicating an amount of feed to dispense into the feed dais.   
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 determine, from the data, that a second feed level of a second feed dais of a second habitat of the one or more habitats is below the feed threshold; and   send a second signal to a second feed delivery platform of the one or more feed delivery platforms, the second signal to dispatch the second feed delivery platform to the second habitat.   
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 determine a delivery threshold has been meet or exceeded; and   send, in response to the delivery threshold being meet or exceeded, a second signal to a second feed delivery platform of the one or more feed delivery platforms, the second signal to dispatch the second feed delivery platform to a second habitat.   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a feed delivery platform, a signal;   initiating, by the feed delivery platform, a feed delivery to one or more habitats in response to receiving the signal, individual ones of the one or more habitats associated with insect populations;   identifying a first habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment;   orienting, by the feed delivery platform, a feed delivery apparatus with the first habitat; and   delivering a desired amount of feed into the first habitat by the feed delivery apparatus.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining the desired amount of feed prior to delivering the desired amount of feed into the habitat.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 identifying a second habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment;   orienting, by the feed delivery platform, the feed delivery apparatus with the second habitat; and   delivering a second desired amount of feed into the second habitat by the feed delivery apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, by the feed delivery platform, that a power level associated with the feed delivery platform is below a first power threshold;   identifying a recharge station;   positioning, by the feed delivery platform, the feed delivery platform with respect to the recharge station to initiate a recharge operation; and   determining, by the feed delivery platform, the power level associated with the feed delivery platform has met or exceeded a second power threshold.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, by the feed delivery platform, that an amount of feed stored in a hopper associated with the feed delivery platform is below a first feed threshold;   
       identifying a feed station;
 positioning, by the feed delivery platform, the hopper with respect to the feed station to initiate a refill operation; and 
 
       determining, by the feed delivery platform, the amount of feed stored in the hopper has met or exceeded a second feed threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 identifying a second habitat of the one or more habitats within an environment at substantially the same time as the feed delivery platform identifies the first habitat;   orienting, by the feed delivery platform, the feed delivery apparatus with the second habitat at substantially the same time as the feed delivery apparatus orients with the first habitat; and   delivering a second desired amount of feed into the second habitat by a second feed delivery apparatus associated with the feed delivery platform at substantially the same time as the first feed delivery platform delivers the first desired amount of feed to the first habitat.