Systems and Methods to Facilitate Human/Robot Interaction

摘要

Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

主权项

1. A system for maintaining a threshold distance between a robot and a worker in workspace, the system comprising:
a wearable device comprising one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, the wearable device associated with the worker; a robot to perform one or more tasks in the workspace, the robot comprising:
one or more drive mechanisms to move the robot throughout the workspace;an RFID reader configured to read the one or more RFID tags; anda processor in communication with the RFID reader; wherein the RFID reader sends a signal to the processor based at least in part on the RFID reader reading at least one of the one or more RFID tags; and wherein the processor instructs the robot to take evasive action based at least in part on receiving the signal from the RFID reader.