An extended two-mass model for clamping hazards in human-robot-collaboration: peak forces and permissible speeds

Abstract:
Human-robot collaboration, which explicitly allows for physical contact between humans and robots, introduces the risk of clamping human body parts between the manipulator and surrounding structures. Risk mitigation objectives include contact force limitation and pre-emptive robot speed limits. In this paper, we propose a new model (as extension to the modelling approach in ISO/TS 15066) to estimate contact force and permissible robot speed depending on the collision sensitivity of the robot. The model is analyzed and validated based on measurement data from collision experiments with an ABB CRB15000 robot.