Robot Motion Zoning Around Human Position for Safe Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot safety protection methods limit robot movement to a fixed region, restricting interaction with humans and failing to ensure safety when humans suddenly move, as the robot may cause damage.
Innovation Solution
A robot control method and apparatus that detects the human's location and determines surrounding regions to control the robot's movement, allowing it to interact safely by setting movement forbidden, interaction allowed, and slow movement regions, independent of internal robot sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot is limited in a fixed region, then safety protection is provided, but interaction with humans is restricted and the robot cannot follow human movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transforming the fixed safety region into a dynamic protective region that moves with the human. The control apparatus continuously updates the protective region based on real-time human position detection, allowing the robot to safely follow and interact with the human while maintaining safety constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of limiting the robot to a fixed region, the patent inverts the approach by making the protective region follow the human's movement. The human becomes the reference point, and the protective region is dynamically positioned relative to the human, enabling both safety and interaction.
2Reliability
If the robot is limited in a fixed region, then safety is maintained, but the robot cannot respond when the human suddenly moves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously detecting the human's position and using this information to update the protective region in real-time. The control apparatus receives position information, calculates the updated protective region, and adjusts robot constraints accordingly, enabling responsive safety protection that adapts to sudden human movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining multiple protective regions at different distances from the human body. When the human moves, the system can quickly switch between pre-calculated regions rather than computing from scratch, enabling rapid response to sudden movements while maintaining safety.
3Reliability
If multiple protective regions are set at different distances, then safety is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the protective space into multiple discrete regions at different distances from the human body. Each region has specific safety constraints, allowing the system to manage complexity through structured zonation while providing comprehensive safety protection at multiple levels.
Data Source
AI summary
In the field of robot technologies, a robot control method and apparatus are for protecting safety of a human during interaction between the human and a robot. The method includes: detecting a current location of the human; determining at least two regions surrounding the human according to the detected current location; and controlling movement of the robot in any region of the at least two regions, to protect safety of the human during interaction with the robot. Because the region is set surrounding the human, movement of the human does not affect the interaction between the human and the robot. In addition, using a protected object as a target, the robot is controlled to move in regions that surround the human. Compared with a case in which the robot is limited in fixed space, no matter how the human moves, safety of the human may be effectively protected.