Human-Robot Collaboration Risk Analytics for Repetitive Task Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Human-robot collaboration poses safety risks due to repetitive motion injuries and inconsistencies in human performance, which can lead to task failure and safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

A robot safety system that dynamically adjusts collaboration by employing randomization, monitoring, and heuristic policies based on real-time observations of the human collaborator to reduce repetitive stress injuries and optimize task completion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If robots perform repetitive tasks with fast, continuous, and reliable motions, then productivity and consistency are improved, but human collaborators are at risk of repetitive stress injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverobot task completion speedVSAvoidrepetitive stress injuries to human

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts robot movement parameters including speed, trajectory, and collaboration position based on real-time human performance observations and risk assessments, transforming static repetitive motions into adaptive dynamic movements that reduce human injury risk while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors human collaborator performance and provides feedback to adjust robot movements, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts robot speed and trajectory based on human state observations to prevent repetitive stress injuries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If human collaborators perform repetitive tasks in concert with robots, then task completion is achieved, but human output and reliability change frequently and unexpectedly causing safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetask completionVSAvoidhuman performance consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous monitoring of human collaborator performance with real-time feedback loops that detect changes in human output and reliability, enabling dynamic adjustment of robot movements to compensate for human inconsistencies and maintain safe collaboration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes robot movement parameters such as speed, trajectory, and timing based on observed human performance variations, adapting robot behavior to match human capability fluctuations and maintain reliable task completion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the robot maintains consistent repetitive motions, then robot reliability is improved, but human collaborators experience repetitive stress injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverobot motion consistencyVSAvoidrepetitive stress injuries to human

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms static consistent robot motions into dynamic adaptive movements by continuously adjusting speed, trajectory, and collaboration position based on human performance observations, maintaining robot reliability while reducing repetitive stress on humans

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system modifies robot movement parameters including velocity, path, and timing based on real-time human state assessment, changing the physical characteristics of robot motions to eliminate repetitive stress injuries while preserving task effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12479101B2Repetitive task and contextual risk analytics for human-robot collaboration

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and methods of a robot safety system for improving the safety of human-robot collaborations. The robot safety system may include a processor that receives a collaboration policy for task collaboration between a robot and a collaborator. The task collaboration may include a movement plan of the robot to move a manipulator to a collaboration position. The robot safety system may also determine a new collaboration position based on the collaboration policy. The robot safety system may also update the collaboration position of the movement plan to the new collaboration position.