Robot Speed Control by Human Body Part Risk Levels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collaborative robots lack an efficient method to set a safe movement speed that does not affect human workers, necessitating a device that can easily adjust robot speed based on human body parts to ensure safety.
Innovation Solution
A robot control device with a selection unit, permissible speed storage, and a robot control unit that associates human body parts with permissible speeds, setting the minimum permissible speed as the robot's maximum speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot movement speed is reduced to ensure worker safety, then the safety level improves, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by setting different permissible speed limits for different human body parts (head, trunk, limbs) based on their vulnerability. Critical parts like the head have lower speed limits, while less vulnerable parts allow higher speeds, enabling differentiated safety management that balances protection with productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the speed parameter based on the detected human body part and pre-stored permissible speed values. By adjusting the robot's maximum speed according to the specific body part detected in the workspace, the system optimizes the balance between safety and productivity through parameter adaptation.
2Reliability
If a complex speed setting system is implemented to ensure precise safety control, then the safety level improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-storing permissible speed values for different human body parts in a database before operation. When a body part is detected, the system simply retrieves the corresponding pre-calculated speed limit, avoiding complex real-time calculations and simplifying the control system while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically selecting and applying the appropriate speed limit based on the detected body part without requiring manual intervention or complex decision-making logic. The pre-stored data and automatic retrieval mechanism enable the system to self-regulate speed based on safety requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a robot control device capable of easily setting a robot operation speed which is safe for an operator. The robot control device is equipped with: a selection unit for selecting a location of a human body; an allowed speed storage unit for associating and storing the location of the human body and the allowed speed for the robot at said location; and a robot control unit for retrieving the allowed speed associated with the location selected by the selection unit from the allowed speed storage unit, and setting the smallest value for the retrieved allowed speed as the maximum speed for the robot.