Safety-critical advanced robots: A survey

Abstract

Developing advanced robotics applications is now facing the confidence issue for users, which is a main limitation for their deployment in real life. This confidence could be justified by the use of dependability techniques as it is done in other safety critical applications. However, due to specific robotic properties (such as continuous human-robot physical interaction or non deterministic deliberative layer), many techniques need to be adapted or revised. This paper reviews the main issues and research work in the field of dependable robots, making the link between the dependability and robotics concepts. It also presents main challenges for increasing robot dependability.

A Safety Monitoring Model for a Faulty Mobile Robot

“…Even in the case of UGVs, both military and rescue, an analysis showed a problem with mobile robots reliability [18]. There is also mention to the lack of studies focusing on the impact that a decision layer on mobile robots has on engineering system's usual safety measures [5]. And yet, even though these critics exist, most consulted authors maintain the importance of model-based simulations and of the use of redundancy at the software level.…”

“…There is also a mention of the extension of these methods with the inclusion of mechanisms to estimate the probability that conclusions are correct. 'Databased' are described as models that don't require prior knowledge of the system, but rather large amounts of historical data that allow the creation of a knowledge base [5,18].…”

“…This causes severe difficulties in applying safety features universally [5] and, for that reason, this research proposes a safety monitoring model by extending the conceptual formulation of "skills" [29]. This new architecture aims to provide meaningful information about the safety and the integrity for the robot, the environment, or the users.…”

“…Highly-complex software is more likely to have faults [5]. If there is a problem in the design of tasks and skills, or control, it is worse when concerning a sub-system, or module, whose objective is to handle autonomous decision-making, i.e., the ability of the system to decide, without human intervention, when in the presence of detected abnormal working condition (such as detected and diagnosed faults), it should cancel the mission, proceed as normal, or proceed with different parameters.…”

Framework to Implement Collaborative Robots In Manual Assembly: A Lean Automation Approach

“…Additionally, HRC simulations can play a vital role in safety assessment of human-robotic work cells. Simulators that can integrate physical phenomena of HRC can make great impact to safe HRC design [35]. The results will further translate into designing the optimal workstation layout.…”