Voice Emergency Stop Control Device for Robot Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voice-controlled emergency stop systems for robots are unreliable due to variations in user voice instructions, leading to unintended emergency stops or failures to stop the robot as intended.
Innovation Solution
A control device that detects voice segments with a predetermined speed and length threshold to accurately determine emergency stop commands, using a processor to analyze sound data from microphones and cameras to ensure precise execution of emergency stops based on user voice inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If emergency stop is triggered by detecting voice with long vowel sound, then emergency stop response is achieved, but false emergency stops occur when user speaks normally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters used for voice analysis from simple vowel duration detection to a combination of speaking speed and voice segment length thresholds. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system can distinguish between emergency stop commands and normal speech, resolving the contradiction between reliable emergency stop detection and accurate normal voice recognition.
2Reliability
If voice detection threshold is lowered to catch all emergency commands, then more emergency stops are detected, but normal speech is misinterpreted as emergency commands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves from single-dimensional voice detection (vowel duration) to multi-dimensional analysis by introducing both speaking speed and voice segment length as detection criteria. This dimensional expansion allows the system to maintain high sensitivity for emergency commands while achieving better precision by requiring multiple conditions to be satisfied simultaneously.
3Measurement precision
If strict voice analysis criteria are applied to avoid false stops, then false emergency stops are reduced, but legitimate emergency commands may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a two-stage detection approach where initial voice segment detection uses moderate thresholds, followed by verification against speaking speed criteria. This partial action strategy ensures that legitimate emergency commands are captured while filtering out false positives, balancing precision and response rate.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device includes at least one memory, and at least one processor configured to detect a voice segment from sound data, the sound data being detected while a controlled object operates, and stop the controlled object based on following conditions: a speaking speed is a predetermined speed threshold or greater, the speaking speed being calculated based on a portion of the sound data in the voice segment; and a length of the voice segment is a predetermined length threshold or less.