Safety Verification of Multiple Industrial Robot Manipulators with Path Conflicts Using Model Checking

Abstract

Software development for robotic systems is traditionally performed based on simulations, manual code implementation, and testing. However, this software development approach can cause safety issues in some scenarios, including multiple robots sharing a workspace. When different robots are executing individual planned tasks, they may collide when not adequately coordinated. Safety problems related to coordination between robots may not be encountered during testing, depending on timing, but may occur during the system’s operation. In this case, formal verification methods can provide a more reliable means to ensure the safety of robotic systems. This paper uses the formal method of model checking for the safety verification of multiple industrial robot manipulators with path conflicts. We give comparative results of two model-checking tools applied to a system with two robot manipulators. Whole workflows, from requirement specification to testing, are presented.