Portable industrial interaction system for robot control in safety-critical environments

Abstract

Portable interaction and control system for industrial safety applications, including: - a basic structure portable to the hand area of ​​an operator (1), - at least one sensor device (2) arranged in or on the basic structure (1), - a processing unit (4) arranged on the back of the hand or in the area of ​​the wrist and fixed in a position stable relative to the hand axis, wherein - the sensor device (2) is connected to the processing unit (4) via a shielded multi-core electrical cable (3), - the processing unit (4) comprises an electronic evaluation unit for local preprocessing of the sensor signals, - and the processing unit (4) can be connected to an external robot controller via an electromagnetically shielded wired interface (5), characterized in that - the shielded electrical cable (3) and the shielded interface (5) are designed to reduce electromagnetic interference in industrial production environments, - and the interaction system can be combined as a modular carrying element with different types of industrial protective gloves.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a portable interaction and control system for industrial safety applications, in particular for controlling a robot in an industrial working environment.

[0002] The technical field of the invention is the control of robots and automated systems by a human operator, particularly in the area of ​​human-robot collaboration. In such environments, precise, intuitive, and above all, safe control is essential. Various wearable input systems for controlling robots are known. These include, for example, sensor gloves, gesture-based control devices, and systems based on wireless or optical signal transmission. However, such systems reach their limits in industrial production environments. A key challenge is the requirement in many industrial sectors to wear certified industrial protective gloves. Sensor gloves are typically not designed for use with such protective gloves or would lose their functionality when used with them.For safety reasons, it is not permitted to replace certified protective gloves with non-certified sensor gloves.

[0003] Another challenge in industrial environments is strong electromagnetic interference, generated, for example, by welding equipment, electric motors, or frequency converters. Wireless transmission systems (e.g., via Bluetooth or WLAN) or optical systems can exhibit signal instability or failure in such electromagnetically stressed environments. This can lead to unwanted micro-movements, jerking, or positional deviations, particularly in the final approach phase of a robot—that is, the last section before reaching a critical target position—which poses a significant safety risk and makes precise work impossible.

[0004] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a portable interaction system that can be used under industrial safety requirements, can be combined with different types of industrial protective gloves, ensures low-interference signal transmission and enables increased movement stability of the controlled system.

[0005] The problem underlying the invention is solved by a portable interaction and control system with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of dependent subclaims.

[0006] The interaction and control system according to the invention for industrial safety applications comprises a base structure wearable in the hand area of ​​an operator, at least one sensor device arranged in or on the base structure, and a processing unit that can be arranged on the back of the hand or in the area of ​​the wrist and is fixed in a positionally stable manner relative to the hand axis. The sensor device is connected to the processing unit via a shielded multi-core electrical cable. The processing unit includes an electronic evaluation unit for local preprocessing of the sensor signals. The processing unit can be connected to an external robot controller via an electromagnetically shielded wired interface.Furthermore, the shielded electrical cable and the shielded interface are designed to reduce electromagnetic interference in industrial production environments, and the interaction system can be combined as a modular carrying element with different types of industrial protective gloves.

[0007] The basic structure, worn by the operator, can be understood as any type of flexible support system used to position the other components relative to the hand. It can be designed, for example, as a textile fabric, a system of elastic bands, or a flexible support plate.

[0008] The at least one sensor device can comprise any type of sensor suitable for detecting movements, positions, or states of the hand and fingers. It can be integrated into the basic structure, for example, woven in, or attached to it, for example, glued or riveted on.

[0009] The processing unit can be designed as a compact, encapsulated electronic module. Its positionally stable fixation to the back of the hand or wrist ensures that its position and orientation relative to the operator's hand remain constant, which is essential for reproducible signal processing.

[0010] The connection between the sensor and the processing unit is made via a shielded multi-core electrical cable. This can be, for example, a flexible cable surrounded by an electrically conductive shield, such as a metal braid or a foil, to protect it from external electric or magnetic fields.

[0011] The local preprocessing of sensor signals in the processing unit can optionally include a variety of functions, such as the digitization of analog sensor signals, filtering to suppress noise, or the calibration of the sensors.

[0012] The electromagnetically shielded wired interface serves as the physical connection to an external controller, such as that of a robot. The interface itself, for example a robust industrial connector, is designed in such a way that the continuous electromagnetic shielding of the signal lines is maintained all the way into the housing of the external controller.

[0013] The design of the shielded cable and the shielded interface to reduce electromagnetic interference means that the entire signal chain from the sensor to the external control is continuously protected against interference.

[0014] The modular design, allowing it to be combined with different types of industrial protective gloves, means that the system can be worn in addition to a standard, certified protective glove, for example as an overglove or as an attached element. This enables its use with various protective gloves required for the respective task, without compromising their protective function.

[0015] The technical benefit of the invention lies in the provision of a highly reliable and safety-compliant control system. The fully shielded, wired signal transmission creates a deterministic and robust data transmission that is insensitive to the strong electromagnetic interference fields found in industrial environments. This prevents signal instabilities and effectively suppresses unwanted micro-movements or positional deviations of the controlled robot, significantly increasing precision and safety, particularly in sensitive end-positioning applications. Simultaneously, the modular compatibility with certified protective gloves ensures compliance with occupational safety regulations, enabling the system to be used in a wide variety of industrial applications.

[0016] In an advantageous further development of the invention, the basic structure is designed as a sensor glove.

[0017] The basic structure itself can take the form of a complete glove, with the sensor devices and associated electrical wiring already integrated into the textile or flexible material. This integration can optionally be achieved by sewing, weaving, gluing, or laminating, so that the system appears as a single, cohesive component.

[0018] The technical advantage of this design lies in significantly simplified handling and consistently precise component positioning. The user only needs to put on and take off a single item, reducing setup time. This results in high reproducibility of the captured signals, as the sensors are positioned in exactly the same place relative to the hand each time the glove is put on, thus preventing adjustment errors. Furthermore, integrating the components into the glove structure increases mechanical robustness and protects the sensitive sensors and wiring from damage in harsh industrial environments.

[0019] In an advantageous further development, the basic structure is designed as a separate carrying element that can be worn over an industrial protective glove.

[0020] This support element can optionally be designed as a type of overglove, for example without fingertips, as an adjustable strap or belt system that is stretched over the hand and fingers, or as a flexible support structure attached to the back of the hand. It can be attached to the underlying protective glove or directly to the hand, for example, using hook-and-loop fasteners, elastic bands, or buckles.

[0021] The key technical advantage of this design lies in its maximum flexibility and modularity. The operator can continue to use the industrial protective glove prescribed and certified for their specific task, be it a cut-resistant, heat-resistant, or chemical-resistant glove. The interaction system is simply worn as an additional, independent layer over it. This ensures that the protective function and certification of the base glove remain unaffected. Furthermore, this separation allows for the cost-effective replacement of the underlying protective glove when worn, without having to replace the more expensive electronic interaction system.

[0022] In an advantageous further development, several sensor devices are arranged along at least one finger.

[0023] The sensors can optionally be positioned at strategic points, such as at individual finger joints or along the fingertips. Alternatively, the sensors can be designed as a continuous, flexible sensor strip extending the length of the finger. This arrangement can be implemented on a single finger, on several selected fingers, or on all fingers of the basic structure.

[0024] The technical advantage of this arrangement lies in its ability to capture the flexion state and position of the finger in detail and with precision. By capturing the flexion at multiple points, such as the joints, the exact curvature of the entire finger can be reconstructed, instead of simply obtaining "open / closed" information. This enables the reliable recognition of complex and intricate gestures or gripping patterns. As a result, significantly more sophisticated and intuitive robot control can be achieved, allowing, for example, analog control of a robot gripper or the triggering of specific actions through defined hand positions.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, the sensor devices comprise bending, position, acceleration or pressure sensors.

[0026] Bending sensors can optionally be designed as flexible elements, such as strain gauges or fiber optic sensors, which change their electrical or optical properties when bent and thus serve to detect the joint angles of the fingers. Position sensors, especially in the form of miniaturized inertial measurement units (IMUs), can detect the spatial position and orientation of the hand or individual fingers. Accelerometers can be used to detect dynamic movements such as rapid gestures or impacts, while pressure sensors, for example positioned at the fingertips, can measure contact with objects and the gripping force applied.

[0027] The technical advantage of this design lies in the creation of a multimodal input system that enables exceptionally rich and intuitive control. By combining different sensor types, various aspects of hand interaction can be captured simultaneously: flex sensors detect finger position, position sensors the movement of the hand in space, and pressure sensors the applied force. This sensory diversity allows for a significantly more complex and natural mapping of human hand movement to the robot control system, which considerably increases efficiency and safety in task execution.

[0028] In an advantageous further development, the conducted electrical connection is shielded.

[0029] The electrical connection, which transmits the sensor signals to the processing unit and can optionally be implemented as a flexible cable, ribbon cable, or individual strands, is surrounded by an electrically conductive sheath. This sheath can, for example, be a metallized foil or a wire braid that encloses the signal-carrying conductors and is connected to a reference potential.

[0030] The technical advantage of this design lies in the targeted safeguarding of signal integrity on the particularly critical transmission path between the sensor device and the first processing stage. The initial, often weak and analog sensor signals are especially susceptible to the coupling of electromagnetic noise. Shielding this internal connection ensures that a clean and unaltered signal arrives at the processing unit. This is an essential prerequisite for reliable preprocessing and contributes significantly to the overall system's immunity to interference and its precision.

[0031] In an advantageous further development, the processing unit is set up to perform preprocessing of the sensor signals.

[0032] This preprocessing can optionally include tasks such as digitizing analog sensor signals, digital filtering for noise reduction, combining data from multiple sensors (also known as sensor fusion), or converting raw data into calibrated physical units, such as angle or position values. The processing unit is typically equipped with a microcontroller or similar electronic component for this purpose.

[0033] The technical advantage of this design lies in the significant reduction in workload for the external robot controller. By processing the raw data locally, the central controller receives clean, meaningful information and does not need to expend computing power on signal filtering or calibration. This can reduce system latency and improve overall performance. Furthermore, the amount of data to be transmitted via the wired interface is reduced, making communication more robust and efficient, and lowering the demands placed on the interface.

[0034] In an advantageous further development, the processing unit is fixed by means of an elastic fastening element.

[0035] This fastening element can optionally be an adjustable wristband, a strap with elastic components, or a wide, stretchable textile band, for example with a hook-and-loop fastener. It serves to securely position the housing of the processing unit on the operator's wrist or the back of their hand.

[0036] The technical advantage of this design lies in ensuring a secure and comfortable fit. The elasticity of the fastening element guarantees a constant, snug fixation of the processing unit, effectively preventing slippage or twisting, even during dynamic operator movements. This ensures the positional stability required for precise control. At the same time, operator comfort is significantly increased, even during extended use, as the element is flexible and adapts to movements. Furthermore, its elasticity allows for easy adjustment to different arm or wrist sizes.

[0037] The advantages of the invention and advantageous further developments are explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments in the figures. These show: Fig. 1. A schematic side view of a portable interaction system; Fig. 2 a schematic top view of the interaction system; Fig. 3 A schematic block diagram of the electrical structure of the interaction system.

[0038] For easier comprehension, please refer to the following list of reference symbols: 1 Basic structure 2 Sensor device 3 Wired electrical connection 4 processing units 5 Wired interface 6 Fastening element

[0039] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the portable interaction and control system according to the invention. A basic structure 1, wearable on the hand of an operator, is visible; here, it is designed as a glove by way of example. Several sensor devices 2 are arranged on this basic structure 1, located in the area of ​​the fingers. These sensor devices 2 serve to detect movements, such as the bending of the finger joints.

[0040] The sensor devices 2 are connected to a processing unit 4 via a shielded multi-core electrical cable 3. This processing unit 4 is located on the back of the hand or, as shown here, in the wrist area. It is fixed in a positionally stable manner relative to the hand axis by means of an elastic fastening element 6, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener. Local preprocessing of the signals acquired by the sensor devices 2 takes place in the processing unit 4. An electromagnetically shielded wired interface 5, not explicitly shown but present in the system, leads from the processing unit 4 to an external robot controller.

[0041] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of the interaction system according to Fig. 1. This view illustrates the arrangement of the multiple sensor devices 2 along the finger areas of the basic structure 1. It shows how the shielded multi-core electrical cable 3 collects the signals from the individual sensor devices 2 and transmits them to the processing unit 4 located centrally at the wrist. This illustration underscores the wired architecture of the system, which contributes to reducing electromagnetic interference.

[0042] Fig.Figure 3 shows a schematic block diagram of the electrical structure of the interaction system. The mechanically supporting base structure 1 is depicted here as a conceptual framework that carries several sensor devices 2. The signals generated by these sensors 2 are coupled to the processing unit 4 via the shielded multi-core electrical cable 3. The processing unit 4 comprises an electronic evaluation unit that performs the local preprocessing of the sensor signals. Finally, the processing unit 4 can be connected to an external robot controller via the electromagnetically shielded wired interface 5 to transmit the processed control commands. The entire chain from the sensor device 2 to the interface 5 is wired and shielded.

Claims

[1] Portable interaction and control system for industrial safety applications, comprising: - a basic structure portable to the hand area of ​​an operator (1), - at least one sensor device (2) arranged in or on the basic structure (1), - a processing unit (4) arranged on the back of the hand or in the area of ​​the wrist and fixed in a position stable relative to the hand axis, wherein - the sensor device (2) is connected to the processing unit (4) via a shielded multi-core electrical cable (3), - the processing unit (4) comprises an electronic evaluation unit for local preprocessing of the sensor signals, - and the processing unit (4) can be connected to an external robot controller via an electromagnetically shielded wired interface (5), characterized by , that - the shielded electrical cable (3) and the shielded interface (5) are designed to reduce electromagnetic interference in industrial production environments, - and the interaction system can be combined as a modular carrying element with different types of industrial protective gloves. [2] Portable interaction and control system according to claim 1, wherein the basic structure (1) is designed as a sensor glove. [3] Portable interaction and control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the basic structure (1) is designed as a separate carrying element that can be worn over an industrial protective glove. [4] Portable interaction and control system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein multiple sensor devices (2) are arranged along at least one finger. [5] Portable interaction and control system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor devices (2) comprise bending, position, acceleration or pressure sensors. [6] Portable interaction and control system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the wired electrical connection (3) is shielded. [7] Portable interaction and control system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit (4) is configured to perform preprocessing of the sensor signals. [8] Portable interaction and control system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit (4) is fixed by means of an elastic fastening element (6).

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