Robot Controller Risk Assessment for Human Collision Hazards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current risk assessment processes for robotic devices are manual, time-consuming, and prone to errors, especially when changes are made to the device, requiring extensive documentation and revalidation, which complicates compliance with safety standards and increases the risk of hazards during human-robot collaboration.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method integrates risk assessment into a controller for robotic devices, allowing for the automatic determination and classification of hazard risks through the analysis of command and machine data, enabling real-time monitoring and updating of risk profiles, and implementing measures to reduce hazards directly within the programming process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual risk assessment processes are used for robotic devices, then compliance with safety standards can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of risk assessment with an automated computer-implemented system. The controller automatically determines hazard risks by analyzing command data and machine data, eliminating the need for manual documentation and revalidation processes while improving accuracy and reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic device's controller performs self-assessment of hazard risks by continuously monitoring its own command data and machine data. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically update risk profiles and validate safety measures without external intervention, significantly reducing the time and effort required for compliance verification.
2Reliability
If extensive documentation and revalidation are required when changes are made to the robotic device, then compliance with safety standards is maintained, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors command data and machine data to detect changes in the robotic device's operation. When changes are detected, the controller automatically reevaluates hazard risks and updates risk profiles accordingly, providing real-time feedback that maintains compliance without requiring manual revalidation documentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller proactively determines hazard risks and validates safety measures before changes potentially cause hazards, rather than requiring post-change documentation. This preliminary action approach ensures compliance is maintained automatically through continuous monitoring and assessment.
3Reliability
If manual risk assessment processes are used, then comprehensive hazard analysis can be performed, but productivity and time efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual risk assessment mechanics with automated computer-based processing. The controller systematically analyzes all command data and machine data to perform comprehensive hazard analysis, ensuring completeness while achieving high productivity through automated processing of safety validations.
Solution Approach 2:
The risk assessment process operates continuously rather than periodically or manually. The controller continuously monitors command data and machine data, maintaining ongoing hazard analysis and safety validation that is both comprehensive and highly efficient, eliminating interruptions and rework associated with manual processes.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the integration of a risk assessment for a collision between a robotic device (26) and a human operator into a controller (20) intended for the robotic device (26), with a) reading (1) command data (24) from a program module (21) which is intended for transmission to a control module (22) when used as intended, by an assessment module (23); and/or b) reading (2) machine data (25) from a control module (22) which data specifies the robotic device (26) by the assessment module (23); c) determining (8) at least one hazard risk based on the read data and at least one stored associated risk profile (k, k+1), which contains necessary information for automatically determining the respective hazard risk, by the assessment module (23); d) classifying (9) the determined hazard risk by the assessment module (23); e) as a function of a result of the classification (9): i) determining (10) one or more measures (27, 28) for reducing the hazard risk and outputting (11) the determined measure or measures (27, 28) for respective selection by a user, or ii) outputting a warning to the user; f) after the selection (12) of at least one measure (27, 28) by the user: outputting (13) a control signal for implementing the selected measure or measures (27, 28) in the program module (21) and/or in the control module (22) by the assessment module (23) in order to simplify the risk assessment.