ARAIG – Autonomous robots for assistive functions: basic interactive skills

In Short

In the ARAIG project, Fraunhofer IPA makes the topics of safety and performance for service robots comparable and comprehensible. The testing environment created in the project enables manufacturers of mobile robots to evaluate the the robot’s safety and performance via standardized tests.

In Detail

As a part of the accompanying research project “ARAIG - Autonome Roboter für Assistenzfunktionen: Interaktive Grundfertigkeiten” (Autonomous robots for assistance functions: basic interactive skills), Fraunhofer IPA advises project partners involved in the funding program on the safety of mobile robots. It also develops criteria and test methods for assessing the safety and performance of robot skills.

The project aims at raising people’s awareness of the importance of functional safety and at achieving a uniform level of knowledge for everyone working on the technical projects related to the funding program. In addition, a testing environment for practical tests will be created in which safety functions can be evaluated based on objective criteria. For example, the focus will be on how well mobile robots can navigate on different surfaces or how reliably they recognize objects under certain conditions. The testing environment can also be used to carry out performance tests. It will be available for general use at the end of the project.

The results of the project will serve to advance the cost-effectiveness of developments in service robotics. On the one hand, this will help to make basic interactive skills such as perception, navigation and handling more independent of specific applications. Fraunhofer IPA is also working on the aspect of harmonizing software interfaces, drawing on knowledge from ISO committee activities and other research projects such as SeRoNet. On the other hand, it is hoped that a stronger focus of developments will be placed on the security and performance of service robotics because these criteria are indispensable to product maturity.