Most of the work processes are almost impossible these days without robots. However, robots operating in the manufacturing sector have posed risks to the workers as they are not responding to their surroundings. In order to make the robots work proximity with the humans and easier for the people, Prof. Matthias Althoff, Technical University of Munich (TUM) has invented a new system known as IMPROV which uses interconnected modules for self-verification and self-programming.
When the companies utilize robots to produce products/goods, they should keep the automatic helpers within safety cages to minimize the risk of injury for the people who are working nearby. So, a new system has been introduced to let the robots free from the safety cages and transform the entire process by automation.
Althoff uses several components to develop a toolbox generalization for safe robots. The modules are combined with the desired way, enabling the companies to tailor-make the robots for various tasks. Althoff has configured every module in the IMPROV robot toolbox with an inbuilt chip that enables to perform a task based on its toolbox. The created robots are automatic model-based controllers with self-processing and self-verification. Althoff set a planned motion using reach-ability analysis, to check the humans are harmed by the planned actions while operating.
A planned motion is verified safe when the future movements of surrounding humans lead to no collision. The robots’ control center uses the camera’s input to collect the data on the movements of the humans working nearby. With the help of this information, a programmed robot with IMPROV can model the next movements of the nearby humans.
In the toolbox set, the scientists have used standard industrial modules, new components in the 3D printer and complemented necessary chips. The modular design of the Althoff is cost-effective in building working robots. The toolbox generalization has a bigger benefit. With the help of IMPROV, it is easier to develop safe robots that react to and avoid with the people in the surroundings.
When the chip is installed in every module and functioning of the self-programming, the robot can recognize all the data. This enables the robot to anticipate its path of movement. The IMPROV guarantees the modules will operate correctly. Due to the robots are programmed automatically, no need for humans to instruct them. IMPROV working robots are safer and cheaper and speed up the process. The robots take 36% lesser time to finish the tasks than the previous solution.
Courtesy :
https://www.therobotreport.com/researchers-building-modular-self-programming-robots-to-improve-hri/
https://robotics.usc.edu/publications/media/uploads/pubs/585.pdf