E!12433 Safe Area Monitoring (SAM) for Open, Fenceless Factory Automation

Safe area monitoring for open, fenceless factory automation - SAM4ROB, has developed "SAM", an advanced, low cost safety system for industrial robots. SAM provides fenceless robotization; thus, enabling on-demand, human-robot collaboration in the factory. SAM also provides direct, multimodal communication with the humans, to keeping them continuously informed about potential safety conflicts, and provide a safe, harmonic working environment for the humans, which are collocated with the robots, inside the factory. - SAM Detector observes the humans' locations and distinguish between humans and inanimate objects. Thus, to optimize the safety measures according to the risk for injuries. - SAM Safety Processor adapts the robots' tasks and motions according to the required human safety. - SAM Comfort Processor provides information to the humans inside the factory and keeping them continuously updated according to potential safety conflicts. Thus, provides the option to enable proactive, conflict reducing measures, by the humans. - SAM Bridge offer dynamic optimization of the production flow in the factory; with respect to possible stops / safety conflicts between the humans and the robots. SAM4ROB is financed by the EUROSTARS! -programme under Horizon 2020. The partnere i SAM4ROB, were - PPM Robotics AS, Norway (Project manager) - F&P Robotics GmbH, Switzerland - DLM Consulting, Hungary - YUJIN Mechatronics, Korea - DGIST Research, Korea - Budapest University, Hungary SAM4ROB had the budget, 3,3MEUR, and was accomplished during 2018-2020. www.sam4rob.com

SAM is a modular, flexible, cost efficient robot safety technology, containing functions for safety, user comfort and factory flow optimization. SAM has safety functions, adapting the robot's behaviour to the current risk. In addition, SAM includes comfort functions, keeping the humans inside the factory notified about potential safety conflicts, so they can avoid unintended interruptions of the robots. This reduces also potential fear and stress when a human is in the area, nearby the robots. Finally, SAM optimizes the production flow dynamically, to ensure a continuously maximum throughput. SAM4ROB has provide new technology for the modern factories; both including dynamic safety, high human comfort and optimized production flow through the production line; Thus, SAM4ROB has created the future solution for fully open factories, where humans and robots can work together in synergy and harmony !

SAM is a low cost, advanced safety monitoring system providing safe, fenceless, flexible operation of industrial robot systems. It can cover a single robot cell or a factory. SAM Detector detects the human's location and is capable to separate living and artificial objects. SAM Application Module provides actionable safety, user harmony and optimized sharing of tasks and autonomy. SAM Factory Monitoring and Flow Optimization Software monitors and optimizes the work flow in the entire facility. The industrial trend is open, fenceless robot systems to allow easy access for humans to the robot cell; to assist and collaborate when desired. However, this poses challenges related to safety, human comfort and operation functionality, that are yet to be solved. SAM will fill this functional gap by utilizing state-of-the-art object sensing technology to develop a complete low-cost, add-on system with cutting-edge functions for human safety, comfort and operation. After the end of the funding period, revenues will be generated through sales of SAM products as add-on package to industrial automation; embedded solution for industrial and mobile robots; plus a software package for intelligent safety monitoring and production flow optimization in the factory. There will be established distributor agreements with system integrators and robot manufacturers. This will ensure access to the global market and large-scale sales boost.