The device aims to replace more "mechanical" milking systems

For a robotics expert has been given a grant to develop technology which makes the milking process not just fully automated but also sympathetic to the cows.

Dr Bruce Davies, from Pontardawe, near Swansea, is perfecting a flexible arm - intended to mimic an elephant's trunk - which will seek out a cow's udder and attach itself to the teats.

The device offers the prospect of eliminating both the early morning and evening drudgery of milking for thousands of dairy farmers but also softening the touch of livestock farming.

We have several films of this particular robot giving people handshakes and cuddling up to them Dr Bruce Davies

Dr Davies, who was born on a farm and used to milk cows by hand as a youngster, came up with the idea for his PhD and initially thought it had uses in physiotherapy until he realised there was potential in the dairy industry.

A "thinking camera" on the arm uses the latest in- vision software to locate the cow's teats and is said to be much more gentle when slipping on the milking cups.

Dr Davies' work at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland has been backed with a �98,000 grant from Nesta, the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts

He said the aim of the robo-milker was to create a much more cow-friendly system.

Cows adapt quickly to automated milking machines

"The current robots are built around industrial robots of today, which are very mechanical, relatively threatening devices, and also use what might be relatively expensive equipment for finding the teats in the first place, " he said.

"We've got a mixture of a system where we use some different sensors to locate the teats and are using a much more compliant, floppy arm to attach the milking cups."

"What you are effectively doing, similar to current systems, is replacing the human person who puts the teat cups on and takes them off again."

Dr Davies is also chairman of a robotic engineering design and development company, IceRobotics, specialising in emerging service robot technology.

Yield

The firm specialises in the "soft, compliant handling of delicate objects" - such as udders.

He said: "We have several films of this particular robot giving people handshakes and cuddling up to them so it's not doing them any harm.

"You want an arm you can operate in a gentle, compliant manner - you are dealing with animals and you don't want to do any inadvertent damage."

Research suggests cows adapt well to automated milking systems and that there is an increase in yield.

The cattle give more milk for the same amount of food because they are able to be milked when they want to be milked.

Agricultural college

It has been estimated yields could increase by up to 20% if cows had a system which they could use three or four times a day.

Dr Davies said his system was also capable of adapting in a similar way to a human milker to the natural changes cows undergo.

"As cows become better milkers, the shape of the udder changes and the angle of the teats change, which is a problem for current milkers, but is something we can address.

"It's not a huge variation but it is somewhere we have perceived there have been problems."

The project has been welcomed by John Owen, farm manager at Coleg Sir Gar agricultural college in Carmarthenshire, which has just installed an �80,000 milking machine.

He said: "Any improvement on current technology always welcome and there is room for improvement on what are using at the moment."