Toward Safe Human-Robot Co-Operation in Manufacturing

Abstract

Intelligent mobile robot assistants are important components for increasing flexibility in future production processes. These robot assistants must be able to work autonomously but must also have the capability to interactively learn from and cooperate with the human worker in a common (shared) work space. They may never be a subject of danger to the human worker wherefore new methods for work space surveillance are called for. In this contribution we present a dynamic, sensor-based safety concept for the DaimlerChrysler Manufacturing Assistant with which it can monitor its work space and react appropriately to unforseen events such as human workers getting too close.