Human-robot coactivity: analysis of the needs and of the prevention means

In view of the mechanical risks generated by industrial robotics, robots are isolated from humans by physical protective barriers, the work zones dedicated to robots being identified and marked out, thereby preventing any action by humans within the zone in which the robot is working. Technical progress, in particular in robot control systems and in person detection, now makes it possible for manufacturers and integrators to propose robot solutions in which there are no longer any physical barriers between the human and the robot. As a result, humans are having to share their workspace and even to perform tasks simultaneously with the robot. This is “collaborative” industrial robotics.
The human-robot coactivity situations inherent to collaborative industrial robotics raise occupational safety and health issues. Today, they are considered to be situations of higher risk for several reasons:
firstly, for the diversity of the situations. The concept of human-robot coactivity can characterise a large number of work situations, which means that a variety of interpretations are possible by users; for some, it appears to indicate merely sharing the workspace, while for others it involves a distribution of tasks, and for others it includes performing joint actions;
then, for the seriousness of the risks. In view of the masses and inertia involved in robotics, the risks to be taken into account are fatal ones.
The challenge for occupational safety and health is to reduce these risks, and to make sure that implementing this type of human-robot co-activity guarantees a level of safety that is sufficient for the user. To this end, the study proposes firstly to identify the real coactivity needs of industrial robotics users, and then to analyse the usability of the prevention means available in collaborative robotics for meeting those needs.
The disseminations planned for this study are intended both for occupational safety & health specialists and also for industrial robotics users; the results of the analysis of the real coactivity needs will be made available to standardisation groups, for making a future revision of the standard on industrial robots, and also to laboratories who will thus be able to focus their research work. A review of the state of the art of the prevention means that can be considered in the context of collaborative robotics will give a more detailed picture of the constraints for using them and of the constraints for implementing those modes of use, giving the potential user points on which to be vigilant, thereby enabling that user to validate their choice and to be aware of the constraints inherent to human-robot coactivity.