diff --git a/rrrobot_ws/src/gazebo_models/model_mappings.txt b/rrrobot_ws/src/gazebo_models/model_mappings.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33a1499
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rrrobot_ws/src/gazebo_models/model_mappings.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+square_trash_can,unit_box/image.jpg,plastic
+unit_box,unit_box/image.jpg,plastic
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/CMakeLists.txt b/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/CMakeLists.txt
index 30d86ab..1030fb5 100644
--- a/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.3)
 project(rrrobot)
 
+set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Debug)
+
 find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS
   osrf_gear
   roscpp
@@ -62,10 +64,17 @@ add_dependencies(rrrobot_node ${catkin_EXPORTED_TARGETS})
 target_link_libraries(rrrobot_node ${catkin_LIBRARIES})
 
 add_executable(test_insert_object test/test_insert_object.cpp)
+add_executable(object_spawner_node src/object_spawner_node.cpp)
+
 add_dependencies(test_insert_object insert_model)
+add_dependencies(object_spawner_node insert_model)
+
 target_link_libraries(test_insert_object
   ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
 )
+target_link_libraries(object_spawner_node
+  ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
+)
 
 target_link_libraries(insert_model
   ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
diff --git a/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/src/object_spawner_node.cpp b/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/src/object_spawner_node.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99b82d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rrrobot_ws/src/rrrobot/src/object_spawner_node.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+#include <vector>
+#include <string>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <time.h>
+#include <fstream>
+
+#include <ros/ros.h>
+
+#include <osrf_gear/VacuumGripperState.h>
+#include <geometry_msgs/Point.h>
+#include "rrrobot/model_insertion.h"
+#include <kdl/frames.hpp>
+
+#include <iostream>
+using std::cout;
+using std::endl;
+
+class ObjectSpawner
+{
+public:
+    ObjectSpawner(/*ros::NodeHandle *nh_, */ const std::string &model_file = "/app/rrrobot_ws/src/gazebo_models/model_mappings.txt")
+        : // nh(nh_),
+          DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT(1.21825, 5.474367, 0.937978),
+          CONVEYOR_WIDTH(0.391404)
+    {
+        // DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.x = 0.2516105;
+        // DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.y = 5.474367;
+        // DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.z = 0.935669;
+        pub = nh.advertise<rrrobot::model_insertion>("/object_to_load", 1000);
+        sub = nh.subscribe("/ariac/arm1/gripper/state", 1000, &ObjectSpawner::objectPlacedCallback, this);
+        srand(time(NULL));
+        read_in_items(model_file);
+    }
+
+    void objectPlacedCallback(const osrf_gear::VacuumGripperState &state)
+    {
+        static bool prev_state = false;
+        static bool placed = false;
+
+        if (!placed)
+        {
+            spawn_item();
+            placed = true;
+        }
+
+        //cout << "State received: " << (state.enabled ? "true" : "false") << endl;
+        // gripper is released
+        if (!state.enabled && prev_state)
+            spawn_item();
+
+        prev_state = state.enabled;
+    }
+
+private:
+    const KDL::Vector DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT;
+    const float CONVEYOR_WIDTH;
+    ros::NodeHandle nh;
+    ros::Publisher pub;
+    ros::Subscriber sub;
+    std::vector<std::string> models; // TODO: just string? or do we need
+                                     //to store the correct classification too?
+
+    void read_in_items(const std::string &model_file)
+    {
+        std::ifstream file(model_file);
+        std::string cur;
+        while (std::getline(file, cur))
+        {
+            // cout << "cur: " << cur << " cur.find(,): " << cur.find(",") << endl;
+            // line format: model_name, image_file, model_classification
+            std::string model_name = cur.substr(0, cur.find(","));
+            // cur.erase(0, s.find(",") + 1);
+            // cur.erase(0, s.find(",") + 1);
+            models.push_back(model_name);
+        }
+    }
+
+    void spawn_item()
+    {
+        if (ros::ok())
+        {
+            rrrobot::model_insertion msg;
+
+            int rand_idx = rand() % models.size();
+            msg.model_name = models[rand_idx];
+            cout << "Spawning " << msg.model_name << endl;
+
+            // TODO: Determine position to spawn items
+            // can place objects on conveyor belt just upstream from the arms
+            // at roughly (0.2516105, 5.474367, 0.935669)
+            // x range: 1.022548-1.413952
+            // y range: anything (essentially)
+            // z
+            msg.pose.position.x = DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.x() /* + some random error */;
+            msg.pose.position.y = DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.y();
+            msg.pose.position.z = DEFAULT_SPAWN_POINT.z() + 1.0;
+
+            pub.publish(msg);
+            ros::spinOnce();
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    ros::init(argc, argv, "object_spawner");
+
+    ObjectSpawner spawner;
+
+    ros::spin();
+}
\ No newline at end of file