Robot Manipulator Velocity Control for Relative Motion Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Functional safety robots may pose a risk when their movable parts, even moving at safe velocities, have relative velocities that can trap a living organism or object between them, especially when they are close together, increasing the likelihood of collision impacts.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that detects the presence of a living organism or object within a certain range and adjusts the velocity of one manipulator to ensure the relative velocity with another manipulator is at or below a safe velocity, thereby reducing collision impacts by controlling the velocity of the first manipulator to match or be less than a predetermined safe velocity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple manipulators move at safe velocity individually, then each manipulator meets safety requirements, but the relative velocity between manipulators can reach twice the safe velocity causing collision risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the safety control of multiple manipulators into a unified relative velocity control system. Instead of independently controlling each manipulator's velocity, the system calculates and controls the relative velocity between manipulators as a combined entity, ensuring that even when manipulators move toward each other, their relative velocity remains within safe limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the positions and velocities of multiple manipulators, calculating their relative velocity in real-time, and adjusting individual manipulator velocities to maintain safe relative velocity. This closed-loop control ensures safety requirements are met dynamically during operation.
2Area of stationary object
If manipulators are placed closer to each other to increase workspace utilization, then space efficiency improves, but the risk of trapping living organisms or objects between manipulators increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relative velocity as an intermediary control parameter that mediates between the need for close manipulator placement and the risk of trapping objects. By controlling the relative velocity between manipulators, the system enables safe operation in confined spaces where manipulators must work in close proximity without creating dangerous trapping scenarios.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the velocity of the first manipulator is controlled to limit relative velocity, then collision impact is reduced, but the first manipulator's operational speed and productivity may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamic velocity control where the first manipulator's velocity is adjusted in real-time based on the second manipulator's motion state. When the second manipulator is stationary or moving slowly, the first manipulator can operate at higher speeds. When the second manipulator moves toward the first, the system dynamically reduces the first manipulator's velocity to maintain safe relative velocity, optimizing productivity while ensuring safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus is a control apparatus that controls a first manipulator including a detection acquisition unit that acquires information from a first detection unit detecting that at least one of a living organism and an object is located within a first range, a velocity acquisition unit that acquires a velocity of a second manipulator different from the first manipulator, and a control unit that controls a velocity of the first manipulator to be equal to or less than a first velocity, wherein the control unit controls the velocity of the first manipulator so that a relative velocity between the first manipulator and the second manipulator may be equal to or less than a second velocity when the detection acquisition unit acquires the information.