5,068 research outputs found
Towards the Safety of Human-in-the-Loop Robotics: Challenges and Opportunities for Safety Assurance of Robotic Co-Workers
The success of the human-robot co-worker team in a flexible manufacturing
environment where robots learn from demonstration heavily relies on the correct
and safe operation of the robot. How this can be achieved is a challenge that
requires addressing both technical as well as human-centric research questions.
In this paper we discuss the state of the art in safety assurance, existing as
well as emerging standards in this area, and the need for new approaches to
safety assurance in the context of learning machines. We then focus on robotic
learning from demonstration, the challenges these techniques pose to safety
assurance and indicate opportunities to integrate safety considerations into
algorithms "by design". Finally, from a human-centric perspective, we stipulate
that, to achieve high levels of safety and ultimately trust, the robotic
co-worker must meet the innate expectations of the humans it works with. It is
our aim to stimulate a discussion focused on the safety aspects of
human-in-the-loop robotics, and to foster multidisciplinary collaboration to
address the research challenges identified
Safe, Remote-Access Swarm Robotics Research on the Robotarium
This paper describes the development of the Robotarium -- a remotely
accessible, multi-robot research facility. The impetus behind the Robotarium is
that multi-robot testbeds constitute an integral and essential part of the
multi-agent research cycle, yet they are expensive, complex, and time-consuming
to develop, operate, and maintain. These resource constraints, in turn, limit
access for large groups of researchers and students, which is what the
Robotarium is remedying by providing users with remote access to a
state-of-the-art multi-robot test facility. This paper details the design and
operation of the Robotarium as well as connects these to the particular
considerations one must take when making complex hardware remotely accessible.
In particular, safety must be built in already at the design phase without
overly constraining which coordinated control programs the users can upload and
execute, which calls for minimally invasive safety routines with provable
performance guarantees.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, 3 code samples, 72 reference
Security Aspects of Social Robots in Public Spaces: A Systematic Mapping Study
Background: As social robots increasingly integrate into public spaces, comprehending their security implications becomes paramount. This study is conducted amidst the growing use of social robots in public spaces (SRPS), emphasising the necessity for tailored security standards for these unique robotic systems. Methods: In this systematic mapping study (SMS), we meticulously review and analyse existing literature from the Web of Science database, following guidelines by Petersen et al. We employ a structured approach to categorise and synthesise literature on SRPS security aspects, including physical safety, data privacy, cybersecurity, and legal/ethical considerations. Results: Our analysis reveals a significant gap in existing safety standards, originally designed for industrial robots, that need to be revised for SRPS. We propose a thematic framework consolidating essential security guidelines for SRPS, substantiated by evidence from a considerable percentage of the primary studies analysed. Conclusions: The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive, bespoke security standards and frameworks for SRPS. These standards ensure that SRPS operate securely and ethically, respecting individual rights and public safety, while fostering seamless integration into diverse human-centric environments. This work is poised to enhance public trust and acceptance of these robots, offering significant value to developers, policymakers, and the general public.publishedVersio
Application of Collaborative Robots for Increasing Productivity in an Eyeglasses Lenses Manufacturer
This research focuses on a framework for making decisions when adopting collaborative robots (cobots) to collaborate with or replace human workers. Top management at a real-life case study firm that manufactures a variety of eyeglasses lenses wants to implement cobots in the sorting process since such a repetitive task has been shown to have a significant negative influence on workers' ergonomic ailments. Its current procurement decision-making process focuses solely on financial perspectives without taking into account any other significant criteria. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the elements that are crucial in deciding whether to use cobots in manufacturing lines., Multivariate statistical methods, comprising the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), are applied to analyse the elements that are associated with the latent variables such as safety, ergonomics, productivity, quality, system, internal organisation and external organisation. In addition, alternative deployments of cobots in the case study are validated through the ARENA simulation software. More specifically, the results showed that using cobots in the workplace might boost output while lowering WIP, waiting times, the number of tasks in queue, and the workforce. In addition, cobots may reduce employee ergonomic risk and enhance workplace safety
Post-Westgate SWAT : C4ISTAR Architectural Framework for Autonomous Network Integrated Multifaceted Warfighting Solutions Version 1.0 : A Peer-Reviewed Monograph
Police SWAT teams and Military Special Forces face mounting pressure and
challenges from adversaries that can only be resolved by way of ever more
sophisticated inputs into tactical operations. Lethal Autonomy provides
constrained military/security forces with a viable option, but only if
implementation has got proper empirically supported foundations. Autonomous
weapon systems can be designed and developed to conduct ground, air and naval
operations. This monograph offers some insights into the challenges of
developing legal, reliable and ethical forms of autonomous weapons, that
address the gap between Police or Law Enforcement and Military operations that
is growing exponentially small. National adversaries are today in many
instances hybrid threats, that manifest criminal and military traits, these
often require deployment of hybrid-capability autonomous weapons imbued with
the capability to taken on both Military and/or Security objectives. The
Westgate Terrorist Attack of 21st September 2013 in the Westlands suburb of
Nairobi, Kenya is a very clear manifestation of the hybrid combat scenario that
required military response and police investigations against a fighting cell of
the Somalia based globally networked Al Shabaab terrorist group.Comment: 52 pages, 6 Figures, over 40 references, reviewed by a reade
A lunar base reference mission for the phased implementation of bioregenerative life support system components
Previous design efforts of a cost effective and reliable regenerative life support system (RLSS) provided the foundation for the characterization of organisms or 'biological processors' in engineering terms and a methodology was developed for their integration into an engineered ecological LSS in order to minimize the mass flow imbalances between consumers and producers. These techniques for the design and the evaluation of bioregenerative LSS have now been integrated into a lunar base reference mission, emphasizing the phased implementation of components of such a BLSS. In parallel, a designers handbook was compiled from knowledge and experience gained during past design projects to aid in the design and planning of future space missions requiring advanced RLSS technologies. The lunar base reference mission addresses in particular the phased implementation and integration of BLS parts and includes the resulting infrastructure burdens and needs such as mass, power, volume, and structural requirements of the LSS. Also, operational aspects such as manpower requirements and the possible need and application of 'robotics' were addressed
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