Section: New Results

Classification of cobotic systems

A new classification of cobotic systems has been proposed [1]. As there are many different ways to classify robots (robotic architecture, size, autonomy, moving ability, adaptability, etc.) and to classify human work or human roles, classifying cobotic systems (the teams formed by a robot and a human operator) is a complex problem. We proposed to focus on information exchanges and interactions among the robot, the human operator and objects of the environment. The graph describing these interactions provides interesting clues to classify cobotic systems. For example, in the surgical robotics and drone domains, the human operator is typically teleoperating (no direct contact with the environment) with constant information exchanges between him and the robot. For that reason, the graph describing these interactions called “scheme of interactions” is very specific. Further on, the description with a scheme of interactions seems particularly appropriate for cobotic systems classification. Several schemes present discriminant features that allow the qualification and naming of the cobotic systems. It is thus possible to identify the symbiotic system, with a constant information exchange and an efficient work sharing (drone), the augmented human case (work with exoskeleton), the subcontracting case, the assistance to effort case and the intelligent assistance case.