Collaborative robots allow humans and robots to work together in a shared workspace. They are designed to be safe through features like lightweight materials, sensitive sensors to detect contact, and safety-rated control schemes. Regulations like the ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066 standards define requirements for speed and separation monitoring as well as power and force limiting to ensure collaborative robots can safely interact with humans. Current applications are mostly in traditional factory settings for tasks like machine tending, assembly, and quality inspection, but research continues in areas like full-body compliance, grasping, and human-aware planning to expand collaborative robot capabilities.

1. www.joanneum.at/robotics
Collaborative Robots:
Research, Technologies and Applications
Univ.-Doz. DI Dr. Michael Hofbaur
JOANNEUM RESEARCH - ROBOTICS
21.04.2017

2. Collaborative Robots
The concept of humans and robots to
work hand-in-hand is not new
ISO 10218 defines Collaboration as:
“State in which a purposely designed
robot works in direct cooperation with
a human within a defined workspace”
Safety First !
however:
Recent advances in robot research and
technology enable versatile applications
based on this machine concept

3. Collaborative Robots
(near future) perspective for
robotics in industrial production:
Humans and Robots share
Workspace
Precise, supportive
Reliable and flexible
Constant quality
Perceive their environment:
intelligent, sensitive
and
SAFE & SECURE
Images: courtesy of Skoda, Bosch

4. Collaborative Robots
Collaboration – let’s be more specific:
ISO standard defines 4 collaboration
concepts
Safety rated monitored stop
Hand-guiding
Speed and separation monitoring
Power and force limiting
From the user’s perspective we have
Human-robot co-existence
Human-robot cooperation
Human-robot collaboration
but also: robot-robot collaboration

5. Collaborative Robots
Technologies
Lightweight Robots
reduced mass = reduced kinetic energy
Sensitive Robots
Sensors to detect contacts (not just at
the tool) and act accordingly
Safety-rated (function & reliability)
Sensors
Actuators
Control-schemes
Tools / Grippers

6. Collaborative Robots
Technologies
finally arrived:
Safe Gripping
Never cause injuries
Detect human contact
Never loose the workpiece
coming soon:
Mobile manipulation
Mobile platform + sensitive robot arm
Still 2DO: compliant whole body control
Images: courtesy of Schunk, JR

7. Collaborative Robots
Technologies
Technologies and potential for collaborative robotics

8. Collaborative Robots
Technologies
But a safe sensitive manipulator and a safe gripper is not enough!
we also have to consider: workpiece, task, environment…

9. Collaborative Robots
Regulations & Standards for Safety
A robot may not injure a human being or,
through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm – I. Asimov
Industrial robot systems operate according to:
ISO 10218: Robots and robotic devices: Safety
requirements for industrial robots
ISO/TS 15066: Robots and robotic devices:
Collaborative Robots
ISO 13849 or IEC 62061: Safety of machinery: Safety-
rated parts of control systems
IEC 61508: Functional Safety
ISO 12100: Risk Analysis
2006/42/EC: Machinery Directive
…

10. Collaborative Robots
Regulations & Standards
Safe Collaboration through Speed and
Separation Monitoring (ISO 10218-1/5.10.4 & ISO/TS 15066)
Risk mitigation through a ensuring a
sufficiently large separation
Static regions / dynamic distances
Distances according to risk analysis that
takes into account: robot, tool, workpiece
and task
Safety-rated monitored stop in case of
violation (reaction-time & stopping-time!)
Requires safety-enabled hard- and software
for robot, distance and speed monitoring

11. Collaborative Robots
Regulations & Standards
Safe Collaboration through Power and
Force Limiting (ISO 10218-1/5.10.5 & ISO/TS 15066)
Risk mitigation though limiting the
mechanical impact
Considers robot, tool, workpiece and task
Considers foreseeable transient and quasi-
static contact situations (risk analysis)
Protective stop in case limits are exceeded
Realization though speed reduction, reduced
masses, limited torques, specific geometry
and padding, inherently safe actuators,
inherently safe control schemes, workplace
ergonomics …

12. Collaborative Robots
Research
Many aspects of collaborative robotics are
still subject to research:
Mechanisms
Full-body compliance
Sensitive robot skin
Safety-rated perception
Grasping, esp. tactile grasping
Safe task planning under uncertainty
Human-aware planning and control
Human-machine interfaces
Cognition
Robot Safety & Cyber Security
…

13. Collaborative Robots
Applications
Currently, many applications in traditional
production settings
Machine tending
Intralogistics
Dispensing, gluing
Assembly
Quality inspection
Support & guidance
Crux of collaborative robots:
safety requirements impose reduced speed,
forces, etc.
cost of additional safety-enabled components
and additional engineering and certification
effort
Images: courtesy of Fanuc, Universal Robots, KUKA

14. Collaborative Robots
Applications
Majority of deployed applications (as of 04/17):
Human-robot coexistence
Classic industrial robotics aims at 3d
applications (dull, dangerous & dirty)
Collaborative robotics deals mostly with dull
applications and aims to improve workplace
ergonomics
Robotic manipulation facilitates integrated
process/quality control
Innovation for i4.0 readiness
but at the end: it has to be cost effective!
Images: courtesy of Fanuc, Universal Robots, KUKA

15. Collaborative Robots
Perspectives
Utilize machine capabilities to innovate production processes
Ensure safety and use its constraints it to optimize applications
Use applied AI to obtain a robot with awareness & flexibility
Collaborative robots are game changer, so you should not use them
in traditional ways only – envision new applications!

16. 16
JOANNEUM RESEARCH
Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
ROBOTICS – Institute for Robotics &
Mechatronics
Lakeside B08a, EG
9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Austria
Tel.: +43 316 876-2000
Fax.: +43 316 876-2010
robotics-office@joanneum.at
www.joanneum.at/robotics