FREED FROM FENCES: SAFEGUARDING INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS WITH ULTRASOUND

Abstract

Industrial robots work behind rigid safety devices in order to lower the risk that persons come in contact with the robot and thus to harm. The IFA, an institute for research and testing of the German Social Accident Insurance in Germany, is working on the state of science in “collaborating robots”, to grant humans safe access to robots. In the course of the project “EsIMiP”, promoted by the Bavarian Research Foundation, a concept was developed at the IFA, allowing the robot’s arms to be safeguarded by ultrasonic sensors. This enables a flexible collaboration between human and robot.