Collaborative Robot Torque Sensing for Collision-Aware Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot systems operating in shared workspaces with humans lack effective safety measures to prevent collisions and ensure efficient task completion without risking injury to humans or damage to robots.
Innovation Solution
A collaborative robot system equipped with torque sensors, a controller, and a collision detection module that adjusts the robot's operation based on torque thresholds to prevent collisions, optimize task performance, and ensure safe operation by dynamically controlling speed and path adjustments, and includes an end effector with tactile sensors and a vision system for object identification and safe gripping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If collaborative robots operate in shared workspaces with humans, then productivity and collaboration efficiency are improved, but safety risks and potential injury to humans increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary collision detection by monitoring torque sensor data before actual contact occurs. The collision detection module continuously compares measured torque against threshold values, enabling the robot to anticipate and prevent harmful interactions with humans before they result in injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time feedback through torque sensors that continuously monitor forces during robot operation. This feedback loop allows the control system to dynamically adjust robot behavior based on detected forces, maintaining safety while enabling productive collaboration in shared workspaces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If torque thresholds are set low to prevent collisions, then safety is improved, but task performance and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts torque thresholds based on operational context rather than using fixed low values. The collision detection module evaluates real-time torque measurements against adaptive thresholds, allowing the robot to operate at higher productivity levels while maintaining safety by adjusting parameters according to the specific task and environmental conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If robot speed is reduced to ensure safety, then collision risk decreases, but task completion time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs self-monitoring through integrated torque sensors and collision detection algorithms. This self-service capability allows the robot to autonomously detect and respond to potential collisions without requiring external safety systems to restrict its speed, maintaining both safety and productivity by enabling the robot to operate at optimal speeds while independently ensuring collision prevention.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A system for robot and human collaboration. The system comprises: a multi- axis robot (102);one or more torque sensors (141-146), each torque sensor (141-146) being configured to measure a torque about a respective axis (121- 26) of the multi-axis robot (102); and a controller (108) configured to:receive one or more torque measurements taken by the one or more torque sensors (141-146); compare the one or more torque measurements or a function of the one or more torque measurements to a threshold value; and control the multi- axis robot (102) based on the comparison.