Introduction

A method and related devices designed to manage the interaction between collaborative robots and human operators through the generation of an awareness signal from the robot to the operator during their duties. It allows the robot to detect and anticipate the operator’s movements and ensures the operator that the collaborative robot has correctly interpreted the operator’s actions.

Technical features

In most human-robot collaboration scenarios, the operator is merely warned of potential dangerous situations, failures or upon completion of certain phases of a process. The technology of the patent allows for the establishment of a more advanced type of collaboration, in which the operator is aware of the correct interpretation of his intentions by the robot, so that the latter can support him in the task they are carrying out together. Beyond a pretermined threshold for the probability that the operator will move in a given sector of the workspace, the robot can both detect and predict the operator’s movements, thereby guaranteeing the effectiveness of the coordinated action and safety for the operator. The awareness signal for the interpretation or prediction by the robot is also transmitted with innovative methods, such as tactile or odorous signals, thus allowing correct communication between the operator and the robot even in situations where the use of visual or auditory signals are hardly noticeable.

Possible Applications

• Human-robot synergistic actions;
• Transport of bulky or heavy objects;
• Industry 4.0.

Advantages

• Application of recognition and classification algorithm for human activities;
• Allows for fluidity of singular or coordinated actions of operators and robots;
• Allows human-robot coordination in difficult or dangerous situations;
• Effective where auditory or visual signals are not perceptible.