Human–robot collaborative handling of curtain walls using dynamic motion primitives and real-time human intention recognition

Abstract

Human–robot collaboration fully leverages the strengths of both humans and robots, which is crucial for handling large, heavy objects at construction sites. To address the challenges of human–machine cooperation in handling large-scale, heavy objects — specifically building curtain walls — a human–robot collaboration system was designed based on the concept of “human–centered with machine support”. This system allows the handling of curtain walls according to different human intentions. First, a robot trajectory learning and generalization model based on dynamic motion primitives was developed. The operator’s motion intent was then characterized by their speed, force, and torque, with the force impulse introduced to define the operator’s intentions for acceleration and deceleration. Finally, a collaborative experiment was conducted on an experimental platform to validate the robot’s understanding of human handling intentions and to verify its ability to handle curtain wall. Collaboration between humans and robots ensured a smooth and labor-saving handling process.