Robotic pest removal system

• US 7,441,367 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VMI Foundation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VMI Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Squire, James C., Livingston, David L., Woulfe, Justin H., Hammond, Glenn B., Sonenshine, Daniel E, Sullivan, Gerald Allen Jr., Crump, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROWAN, KURT C
• Application Number:
  US11/374,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20060204531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 431/321
• US Class Current: 43/132.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/02 with devices or substances, e.g. food, pheronones attracting the insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/023 Attracting insects by the simulation of a living being, i.e. emission of carbon dioxide, heat, sound waves or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/145 Attracting and catching insects using combined illumination or colours and adhesive surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/20 Poisoning, narcotising, or burning insects fumigation apparatus A01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/011 Crawling insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 5/06 with adhesive surfaces

Abstract

An autonomous robotic system and method for removing pests from a specific location. The robotic system of the invention preferably comprises a means for attracting pests to at least one specific location; and a robotic means for collecting and/or exterminating pests attracted to the specified location. In certain embodiments, the robotic means comprises a mobile robot and a means for navigating the robotic means. In operation, pests are attracted to at least one location by an attracting means, and these pests are then collected and/or exterminated by a mobile, autonomous robot of the invention.

Claims

1. An automated pest control method comprising:

attracting a pest to at least one pre-selected location by distributing a chemoattractant to said at least one pre-selected location utilizing a length of perforated tubing, said chemoattractant being selected from the group consisting of CO₂, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-nitrophenol, H₂S, hypoxanthine, xanthine, inosine, adenine, hematin, sex attractant pheromones, and octenol;

utilizing at least one mobile robotic mechanism, comprising a pesticide, that traverses a pre-determined path corresponding to the length of perforated tubing in order to monitor the pre-selected location(s); and

delivering a pest controlling amount of a pesticide with the mobile robotic mechanism(s), such that a pest present at the pre-selected location(s) is exposed to a pest controlling amount of the pesticide.

2. The pest control method according to claim 1, wherein said pest is selected from the group consisting of:

Nematodes (Nematoda);

mites (Acari);

spiders (Acarina);

millipedes (Diplopoda);

centipedes (Chilopoda);

lice (Anoplura);

wood lice (Isopoda);

mosquitoes (Culicidae);

blackflies (Simuliidae);

sand flies (Phlebotominae);

biting midges (Ceratopogonidae);

horseflies (Tabanidae);

termites (Isoptera);

tsetse flies (Glossinidae);

stable flies and house flies (Muscidae);

fleas (Siphonaptera);

triatomine bugs (Triatominae);

soft ticks (Argasidae); and

hard ticks (Ixodidae).

3. The pest control method according to claim 1, wherein said length of perforated tubing is positioned around the perimeter of an area in which a pest is to be controlled.

4. The pest control method according to claim 1, further comprising electrical wiring following substantially the same path as the perforated tubing.

5. The pest control method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one mobile robotic mechanism comprises sensors that detect a signal emitted by said electrical wiring such that the mobile robotic mechanism is guided by said sensors along substantially the same path as the electrical wiring.

6. The pest control method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile robotic mechanism further comprises a covering to which a pest can adhere.

7. The pest control method, according to claim 6, wherein said covering is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene cloth, adhesive, nets, meshes, toweling, and loudspeaker grill cloth.

8. The pest control method, according to claim 7, wherein said covering further comprises an alternating stripe pattern or other visual contrast known to attract a pest.

9. The pest control method, according to claim 8, wherein said covering further comprises one or more chemoattractants.

10. The pest control method, according to claim 1, wherein said pesticide is pyrethroid permetlirin.

11. The pest control method, according to claim 1, wherein maintenance of the at least one mobile robotic mechanism is performed automatically at a service station, wherein said service station can receive and communicate with said mobile robotic mechanism.