Direct human-robot collaboration in welding

Abstract

Current paper deals with a new tendency in robotics, consisting in broader and broader exploiting of socalled collaborative robots, sharing their workspace with humans. An overview of research in this area has been performed. Some aspects of robot programming method, called programming by demonstration, have been discussed. In particular, the authors try to answer the question, whether the idea of direct human-robot cooperation can be applied also in welding. Examples of research in this area have been presented. The paper discusses some as- pects of human-robot communication. It presents a conception of a novel method of calibration of human-robot voice communication system, now under development at the Warsaw University of Technology. This method is focused on specific requirements resulting from the use of collaborative robots.