Autonomous multi-robot systems are among the most complex systems to control, especially when those robots navigate in hazardous and dynamic environments such as chemical analysis laboratories which include dangerous and harmful products (poisonous, flammable, explosive...). This paper presents an approach for systems-complex and theoretic safety assessment, also it considers their coordinating, cooperating and collaborating using different control architectures (centralized, hierarchical and modified hierarchical). We classified those control architectures according to their properties, and then we used a systems-theoretic hazard analysis technique (STPA) to identify the potential safety hazard scenarios and their causal factors.
Systems composed of a fleet of autonomous mobile robots are among the most complex control systems. This control complexity is at a high level especially when those robots navigate in hazardous and dynamic environments such as chemical analysis laboratories. These systems include different dangerous and harmful products (toxic, flammable, explosive...) with different quantity. In order to perform its mission on a regular basis, this multi-robot system can be controlled according to multiple architectures. We propose, firstly, to apply the System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) on two selected control architectures, namely distributed and hybrid architectures in order to obtain a set of loss scenarios for each kind of architecture. For further assessment, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to choose the best architecture. The proposed approach provides a risk analysis and a more practical comparison between the two control architectures of a mobile multi-robot system and facilitates decision-making, even in complex situations.
Autonomous Mobile multi-robots are among the most complex systems in their control. Especially when those robots navigate in hazardous and dynamic environments such as chemical analysis laboratories which include dangerous and harmful products (poisonous, flammable, explosive ...). This study deals the safety problem in a robotic analysis laboratory and investigates the possibility to use those autonomous multi-robots in such environments with the presence of human workers without serious hazards. We used a systems-theoretic hazard analysis technique (STPA) in addition to fault tree analysis to identify the potential safety hazard scenarios, their causal factors and we conclude by a set of recommendations. Keywords: Hazard Analysis, STPA, FTA, Collaborative multi-mobile robots.
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