Ensuring software safety in robot control

Abstract

Hazard prevention and/or risk minimization are especially pertinent in industrial robot installations. Software for controlling robots must be analyzed as a contributor in risk situations. The use of 'failure mode and effects analyses' and 'fault tree analyses' on such software offers a measure of risk minimization. This paper contains an example application of FMEA and FTA to software, and offers guidelines for similar uses in other situational investigations. Another benefit of applying FMEA and FTA to software is the encouragement of communication and cooperation between software developers and industrial personnel. Suggestions regarding cooperative communication protocol are in the paper's concluding remarks.