Tremor Detection for Incidental Robot-Human Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial settings where robots coexist with humans or animals, existing technologies lack effective measures to prevent incidental contact, which can lead to injuries, as they fail to reliably detect the presence of humans or animals to halt robotic movements in time.
Innovation Solution
A tremor detection system that uses sensors to identify frequency components between 7 Hz and 12 Hz characteristic of human or animal presence, triggering a control signal to halt the robotic actuator's movement to prevent contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robot-human coexistence is implemented in industrial settings, then productivity and automation are improved, but the risk of incidental contact and injury to humans or animals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of human or animal presence by analyzing tremor signals in feedback signals before the robotic actuator can cause harm. The tremor detection occurs continuously during operation, allowing the system to prepare for potential contact and halt the actuator movement in advance, preventing injury before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback signals from the robotic actuator's operation to detect tremor characteristics indicative of human or animal presence. By continuously monitoring feedback signals for frequency components between 7-12 Hz, the system creates a closed-loop safety mechanism that adjusts actuator operation based on detected tremor patterns, enabling real-time prevention of harmful contact.
2Device complexity
If existing technologies are used without tremor detection, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect human or animal presence and prevent contact is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical safety systems with a signal-processing approach that analyzes existing feedback signals for tremor characteristics. Instead of adding separate mechanical sensors or physical barriers, the invention extracts safety information from electrical feedback signals by detecting frequency components between 7-12 Hz, simplifying the overall system architecture while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects human or animal presence by identifying specific parameter changes in the feedback signal - namely, frequency components between 7-12 Hz that correspond to tremor signals. By monitoring these parameter changes in existing signals rather than requiring additional sensors, the system achieves reliable detection with minimal added complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are generally described for detection of incidental robot-human contact. In some examples, a robotic actuator movement may generate a feedback signal, such as a haptic signal, a proprioreceptive signal, an optical signal, and/or an infrared signal. A tremor detector may determine whether the feedback signal contains a tremor signal characteristic of a human, for example by determining whether frequency components in the feedback signal fall within particular frequency ranges. Upon determining that the feedback signal does contain a tremor signal characteristic of a human, the tremor detector may conclude that the robotic actuator has come into contact with a human, and may cause the actuator to halt its movement.