Enabling Safe Empirical Studies for Human-Robot Collaboration: Implementation of a Sensor Array Driven Control Interface

In response to the growing relevance of collaborative robots, the need for empirical user studies in the domain of Human-Robot Collaboration become increasingly important. While collaborative robots incorporate internal safety features, their usage for user studies remains associated with inherent safety risks. This project addresses these challenges by introducing a toolbox for a robot arm to conduct Wizard-of-Oz studies by using advanced controls complemented by a sophisticated security system leveraging microcontrollers and human presence detection sensors. This approach unifies both control systems within a single application, seamlessly monitoring and synchronizing their respective inputs. The gamepad control scheme offers Wizard-of-Oz study supervisors an intuitive means of interacting with the robot, enabling precise and responsive control while maintaining safety. Meanwhile, the security system, built on microcontroller technology and human presence detection sensors, acts as a vigilant guardian, continuously assessing the robot’s surroundings for potential risks. This integrated application not only empowers users with effective control over the xArm 7 but also provides real-time feedback on the security status, enhancing the overall safety and usability of collaborative robots in various industrial settings. By bridging the gap between human operators and robots, this project contributes to the evolution of safer and more user-friendly human-robot collaboration.