Frontiers in Robotics and AI (Sep 2022)

Towards safety4.0: A novel approach for flexible human-robot-interaction based on safety-related dynamic finite-state machine with multilayer operation modes

  • Mohamad Bdiwi,
  • Ibrahim Al Naser,
  • Jayanto Halim,
  • Sophie Bauer,
  • Paul Eichler,
  • Steffen Ihlenfeldt

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2022.1002226
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

Read online

In the era of Industry 4.0 and agile manufacturing, the conventional methodologies for risk assessment, risk reduction, and safety procedures may not fulfill the End-User requirements, especially the SMEs with their product diversity and changeable production lines and processes. This work proposes a novel approach for planning and implementing safe and flexible Human-Robot-Interaction (HRI) workspaces using multilayer HRI operation modes. The collaborative operation modes are grouped in different clusters and categorized at various levels systematically. In addition to that, this work proposes a safety-related finite-state machine for describing the transitions between these modes dynamically and properly. The proposed approach is integrated into a new dynamic risk assessment tool as a promising solution toward a new safety horizon in line with industry 4.0.

Keywords