"The ISO Robot Safety Standard of 2006 provided some basic guidelines on how these robots could perform, but these robots do not claim compliance with that standard," Fryman noted. "And that's probably because the standard -- at least the technical data behind the standard -- isn't complete. The ISO community is still working on that."
Cause for Delay
According to Jeff Fryman, director of Standards Development with the Robots Industries Association, the delay in mass adoption of this technology is due to a frustrating lack of safety standards to guide -- and protect -- companies as they enter the market.
"The ISO Robot Safety Standard of 2006 provided some basic guidelines on how these robots could perform, but these robots do not claim compliance with that standard," Fryman noted. "And that's probably because the standard -- at least the technical data behind the standard -- isn't complete. The ISO community is still working on that."
As they develop those specs, robots like Baxter -- which are designed with power or force limiting controls to help minimize injuries when in contact with human co-workers -- are running with no defined limits of acceptable power or force. And that puts companies in a very dangerous position.
"At the moment, these companies are the leading edge of technology without any firm standards guidance," Fryman said. "These guys are out front without any top cover or bottom support."
Without that support, he explained, companies using these technologies are wholly responsible for their safe employment.
"Now you're the integrator; now you're responsible for the risk assessment to determine if it is acceptable to work the way it was advertised to work," he said. "The only person who is on the line is the user that bought it."
And that, Fryman said, is a heavy load of risk for any company to take on.
"If you injure someone at work," he said, "there is a prescribed scenario that you are going to experience. And it is not a pleasant one."
