Robot Safety Monitoring Using AGV Sensor Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems in industrial facilities lack effective and cost-efficient safety monitoring mechanisms to prevent collisions with humans, as they often require expensive laser sensors for detecting proximity.
Innovation Solution
Utilize sensor data from transportation devices like AGVs or AMRs to monitor the vicinity of robots, determining human presence and relative position, and adjust robot operations accordingly without additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional sensors are added to the robot for safety monitoring, then the safety monitoring capability is improved, but the system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor on the transportation device is made multi-functional by enabling it to serve both its original navigation function and the additional safety monitoring function for the robot. The sensor data is shared between the transportation device controller and robot controller, allowing one sensor to perform multiple roles without requiring dedicated safety sensors on the robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The transportation device's existing sensor system serves itself by extending its functionality to monitor the robot's safety zone. The sensor data collected for the transportation device's own navigation purposes is simultaneously utilized to detect human presence near the robot, making the system self-sufficient for safety monitoring without external additions.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated safety sensors are installed on the robot, then the detection precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing sensor on the transportation device is repurposed to perform both navigation and human detection functions. By sharing the sensor resource and its data between the transportation device's navigation system and the robot's safety monitoring system, the patent achieves human detection capability without adding dedicated sensors to the robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety monitoring function is merged with the transportation device's existing sensor system rather than being implemented as a separate subsystem on the robot. The sensor, its data processing, and the control logic are combined into an integrated system that serves both transportation and safety functions.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of present disclosure relate to a method safety monitoring. The method includes obtaining sensor data collected by at least one sensor on a transportation device associated and in communication with the robot. The method further includes detecting presence of a human based on the sensor data. The method further includes determining a relative position of the human with regard to the robot based on the sensor data. The method further includes determining a control operation based on the relative position.