Virtual Safety Border Verification for Industrial Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently verifying the correct positioning of virtual safety borders in a physical environment for industrial robots, as inaccuracies can lead to accidents and result in a time-consuming and costly verification process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving environment sensors, such as cameras or lidar, to obtain data on physical obstacles and evaluate the position of virtual safety borders relative to these obstacles, allowing for automated verification and reduced risk of collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtual safety borders are used instead of physical fences, then productivity and automation level are improved, but verification of correct positioning becomes more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical environment including obstacles and safety borders. This virtual model is then automatically compared with real sensor data to verify positioning accuracy, eliminating manual verification while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual verification processes with automated sensor-based detection and computational comparison. Environment sensors capture real obstacle positions, and a control system automatically verifies virtual safety border positioning, substituting human labor with automated systems
2Reliability
If virtual safety borders are positioned inaccurately, then safety is compromised, but manual verification is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where environment sensors continuously monitor actual obstacle positions and feed this data back to the control system. The control system compares real positions with virtual model positions, automatically detecting and correcting any positioning inaccuracies to ensure safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary automated verification of virtual safety border positioning before robot operations begin. By pre-checking the alignment between virtual safety borders and actual obstacles using sensor data, the system ensures safety is established before production starts, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual verification later
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces verification time and costs by automating the process, ensuring accurate positioning of virtual safety borders and preventing collisions between industrial robots and obstacles.
Implementation Method 1
A method involving environment sensors, such as cameras or lidar, to obtain data on physical obstacles
Data Source
AI summary
A method of handling safety of an industrial robot, the method including providing at least one virtual safety border defined in relation to the industrial robot, where each virtual safety border is associated with a condition to be fulfilled by the industrial robot; obtaining environment data of a physical environment of the industrial robot by means of an environment sensor; determining, by a control system, an obstacle position of an obstacle in the environment based on the environment data; and evaluating, by the control system, a border position of each virtual safety border with regard to the obstacle position. Control systems for handling safety of an industrial robot in an environment, and a method including defining at least one virtual safety border in relation to the industrial robot based on the environment data, are also provided.