COBOTS in Industry 4.0: Safe and Efficient Interaction

Abstract

Cyberphysical systems will have a great development with the digital transformation known as industry 4.0. Cyberphysical Systems systems are devices that integrate capabilities to control and interact with a physical process. Among these are the Cobots, robots that perform tasks directly in conjunction with humans within a shared or nearby space. Safety is a fundamental issue when talking about Cobots, because there are requirements in terms of materials and design, kinetic limitations, and the implementation of sensors and algorithms that guarantee a safe workspace. Therefore, the potential risks of Cobot applications within the boom of industry 4.0 in cyberphysical systems are presented. Defining the fields of: Safety inspections; Routes and algorithms to avoid obstacles; Human-machine interfaces; Humans and Industry 4.0; Cyber security. Framed within the human-machine standards and protocols, within the safety functions and performance of a Cobot (ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2 and ISO TS 15066). In this chapter, we discuss the different problems that are in the application of Cobots, in conjunction with different proposals for improvement and aspects to consider.