Disclosed herein is a collaborative robot and a method for protecting collaborative form hazardous events. The method comprises detecting hazardous event in a working environment of the collaborative robot. Thereafter, the detected hazardous event is validated. Once the validation is performed, the inflation of a protective fabric housed in a protective compartment of the collaborative robot is initiated, wherein upon inflation, the protective fabric covers the collaborative robot for protecting the collaborative robot from the hazardous event. The present invention is used for self-protection of the collaborative robot in hazardous events without any human intervention.

Provided is a highly safe robot system. A robot system includes: an arm operation control unit that controls operations of an arm; and a storage unit that records hazardous part information related to at least any one of a grip unit of the arm and a work target gripped with the grip unit, and the arm operation control unit causes the arm to operate such that the hazardous direction of the hazardous part is different from a moving direction of the grip unit on the basis of the hazardous part information.

A sensor device is provided which detects approach or in contact of a detection target with a moving part of an automatic device, and comprises a first sensor that detects the detection target at a position away from the moving part, a second sensor that detects the detection target at a position closer to the moving part than the first sensor, and a third sensor that detects the detection target at a position closer to the moving part than the first sensor. The approach of the detection target to the moving part is detected by both the second sensor and the third sensor at a position closer to the moving part than a position that can be detected by the first sensor.

Disclosed herein is a collaborative robot and a method for protecting collaborative form hazardous events. The method comprises detecting hazardous event in a working environment of the collaborative robot. Thereafter, the detected hazardous event is validated. Once the validation is performed, the inflation of a protective fabric housed in a protective compartment of the collaborative robot is initiated, wherein upon inflation, the protective fabric covers the collaborative robot for protecting the collaborative robot from the hazardous event. The present invention is used for self-protection of the collaborative robot in hazardous events without any human intervention.

A robotic system includes a robotic arm assembly and a guard assembly. The robotic arm assembly includes a robotic arm and an end effector that is coupled to the robotic arm and selectively couples to a moveable object. The guard assembly is selectively moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and includes a plurality of guard petals that selectively move between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. Each guard petal includes a flexible support structure and a fluid bladder coupled to the flexible support structure. The fluid bladder is selectively filled with a fluid to change the fluid bladder between a relaxed configuration and an expanded configuration. The fluid bladder is configured to wrap the flexible support structure around at least a portion of the moveable object when the guard petal is in the extended configuration and the fluid bladder is in the expanded configuration.

Provided is a highly safe robot system. A robot system includes: an arm operation control unit that controls operations of an arm; and a storage unit that records hazardous part information related to at least any one of a grip unit of the arm and a work target gripped with the grip unit, and the arm operation control unit causes the arm to operate such that the hazardous direction of the hazardous part is different from a moving direction of the grip unit on the basis of the hazardous part information.

A robot designed for reducing collision impacts during human interaction. The robot includes a robot controller including a joint control module. The robot includes a link including a rigid support element and a soft body segment coupled to the rigid support element, and the body segment includes a deformable outer sidewall enclosing an interior space. The robot includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure in the interior space of the link. A joint is coupled to the rigid support element to rotate or position the link. During operations, the robot controller operates the joint based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. The robot controller modifies operation of the joint from a first operating state with a servo moving or positioning the joint to a second operating state with the servo operating to allow the joint to be moved or positioned in response to outside forces applied to the link.

A robot designed for reducing collision impacts during human interaction. The robot includes a robot controller including a joint control module. The robot includes a link including a rigid support element and a soft body segment coupled to the rigid support element, and the body segment includes a deformable outer sidewall enclosing an interior space. The robot includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure in the interior space of the link. A joint is coupled to the rigid support element to rotate or position the link. During operations, the robot controller operates the joint based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. The robot controller modifies operation of the joint from a first operating state with a servo moving or positioning the joint to a second operating state with the servo operating to allow the joint to be moved or positioned in response to outside forces applied to the link.