Predefining a permissible maximum speed for a robotic device may include predefining a contact point between a human operator and the robotic device for a collision between the human operator and the robotic device, a geometry of the robotic device at the contact point, and a spatial boundary condition of the collision. The method may also include determining whether the collision is a clamp-free collision or a clamped collision using a computing unit. The method may also include calculating, by the computing unit, the permissible maximum speed of the robotic device at the contact point with a free-impact model, and with a clamping-impact model or with a quasi-static-clamping model. The method may also include using the computing unit to output a signal dependent on the calculated permissible maximum speed for the robotic device to predefine the permissible maximum speed of the robotic device.