SHERLOCK aims to build upon state-of-the-art products and prototypes, progressing beyond them by advancing and generating a ready to use safety system for human centred collaborative robotic applications.
More specifically, SHERLOCK uses the high payload collaborative robot AURA from COMAU, a low payload collaborative solution as well as an exoskeleton proposed by the same company and a dual arm mobile manipulator that is partially developed in the project. These resources are further being enhanced with sensors allowing the awareness of both the operating environment and the operator status (biometric readings, intention recognition etc.) and actions being performed and thus a more intuitive collaboration/communication between the resources (human-robot). Machine learning algorithms and AI enabled libraries will be used to process the sensor data and provide more robust instructions to the robots, enhancing their adaptability in the unexpected situation of a dynamic environment.
Natural means of communication is achieved by utilizing the latest advancements in “smart” wearable devices. Highly intuitive ways of real time information concerning the process and support provision to human operators are being provided through AR apps interfacing the wearable devices.
Applicable and affordable industrial robots programming system pertinent for SMEs is being developed, by further evolving technologies, such as task-oriented and interactive robot programming based on novel multi-robot C++ language. Assessment methods are also being included, to evaluate the acceptance by the operators of the proposed HRI mechanisms as well as the psychological impact the SHERLOCK HRC developments have.
SHERLOCK modular safety controller will provide a robust safety control system aligned with EU safety standards and legislations coupling the latest trends in certified safety equipment with low level robot controller. Finally, SHERLOCK also develops a new on-line safety and trust assessment monitoring system that simultaneously prevents unintended physical contacts and increases humans’ acceptance.
SHERLOCK aims to demonstrate the potential to bring back production to Europe, by increasing the OECD Job Quality index by 15% through work environment and safety, reducing the production reconfiguration time and cost by 20%, increasing competitiveness of robotic system integrators, contributing to the European innovation capacity by impacting the European Research Institutes, SMEs and European End Users and last but not least have positive impact on social objectives of European Union by:
• Production of goods of higher quality, since the project will seek to introduce robotised solutions for manual applications.
• The use of robots can lead to new, improved products thanks to the reduction in geometry constraints that are associated with the use of templates.
• The prices of EU manufactured products will be kept low, considering that the assembly costs will be reduced by enhancing the design and the operational phase of the assembly process.
• Positive contribution in Health and Safety areas
• Positive contribution in worker satisfaction and employment
