Robot Floor Light Projection for Motion Area Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot systems without safety guard fences face efficiency and safety issues due to frequent stoppages when people approach, and there is a need to prevent entry into the robot's motion area effectively.
Innovation Solution
A robot system that uses visible light to mark and distinguish the motion and latent areas on the floor, allowing workers to visually recognize and avoid these areas, with the control unit managing the irradiation of red and yellow lights to clearly indicate the boundaries and changes in these areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an area sensor is used to detect persons approaching the robot, then safety is improved by detecting intruders, but productivity deteriorates due to frequent robot stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by projecting visible light to mark the motion area in advance before any intrusion occurs. This visual warning allows persons to avoid the area proactively, preventing the need for reactive robot stoppages when intrusion is detected, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring safety.
2Ease of operation
If a safety guard fence is not provided, then ease of operation is improved by allowing flexible access, but safety deteriorates due to increased risk of unauthorized entry into motion areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary visual warning mechanism (visible light projection) between the open access environment and the robot's motion area. This intermediary provides clear visual boundaries without physical barriers, allowing flexible access while maintaining safety through proactive warning of hazardous zones.
3Reliability
If visible light is projected onto the motion area, then safety is improved by warning persons to avoid the area, but device complexity increases due to additional irradiating units and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical safety guard fences with a simpler optical warning system using visible light projection. This substitution eliminates the need for physical barriers and their associated mechanical components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective safety warnings.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a robot system including robots installed on a floor surface and configured to execute a plurality of tasks. The robot system further includes an irradiating unit capable of irradiating visible light onto the floor surface. The irradiating unit is controlled so as to irradiate the visible light onto a motion area on the floor surface. The motion area is an area occupied on the surface of the floor by a space within which the robot is allowed to move during execution of the tasks.