Robot Sheep Shearing

This robot clipped around 400 fleeces between 1985 and 1993 at the University of Western Australia. The sheep was in its natural state, with no drugs or artificial means of keeping it still. In over 1000 tests with this robot, only a few sheep were seriously injured, and there were many times fewer skin cuts than human shearers inflict because the robot could react in thousandths of a second. This was research sponsored by Australian wool growers and the government. See http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/jpt/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• robotics
• mechatronics
• farming
• automation

[maerafriva1]

thats kinda sad.. i bet the sheep is all scared

[JamesTrevelyan]

It is easy to think that the sheep is scared and doesn't like this. The most reliable test is to see whether sheep are prepared to be shorn more than once. Sheep, like humans, can remember unpleasant experiences clearly and will visibly and actively resist being subjected to a similar experience again. We never had this problem in our tests and trials. The sheep's eyes are completely covered by the special head restraint. This makes the sheep fall asleep, especially as it is upside down.

[stacyleigh64]

Me no likey.

[captain0104]

How lazy and horrible this people get. Why would they use a robot if they know they're shearing a sheep? It's not like they're manufacturing a car aren't they? Cruel bastards!

[bobndroppy]

that is a great machine. awesome!!!!

[aslantbunny]

Ich glaube keinem Australier wenns um schafe geht!!! Wolle aus Australien sollte man ohnehin kaum bis gar nicht kaufen!!!! *Tierquäler*

[KinapauaKutai]

These are the dumbest stupidest clever people I've seen

[YarnAndGarden]

What a horrible method of shearing a . sheep the poor creature is scared to death. i know farms who would report you to the aspca. you vile monsters

[confuse]

@marsa008 waht is a bdsm

[llowgren]

That's slow... Even slower than me with a scissors.

[xenubarb]

@JamesTrevelyan They should give them headphones and Mozart. I'd be scared of the noise.

[marsa008]

I though this was BDSM porn for welsh people......

[figbat1]

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