A Safety-Enhancing Framework Based on Collaborative Robots (CoBot) for Industry 4.0

The recent wave of advancements catalyzed by Industry 4.0 has driven a swift and extensive integration of robotics within manufacturing. Collaborative robots, notably, present superior safety, streamlined workflows, a nd enhanced versatility compared to conventional industrial counterparts. This article introduces Time of Flight Vision, an innovative system that combines the advanced camera capabilities of the Kinect-V2 with the capabilities of an ultrasonic distance sensor. The goal is to effectively track parameters such as robot speed and spatial distance between the robot and human operator in a collaborative environment. Traditional robots without additional sensors often experience problems such as stopping abruptly when a collision is detected, leading to unplanned downtime and increased equipment wear. Using real-time data streams from Kinect V2 and ultrasonic distance sensors, this innovative system recognizes human presence and calculates spatial location. The space between the robot and human joints. By integrating robot joint angle data into distance calculations, the system determines the optimal “critical distance” for safe interaction. In a dynamic response, the robot speed and acceleration are adjusted to maintain the safety of people and cars. This study shows the principle of the industry 4.0 to ensure a safe human synergistic effect using advanced technology. The discoveries of this study pledge secure and optimized operations in shared workspaces, reflecting the e ssence of I ndustry 4.0.