{"id":559,"date":"2024-04-01T09:06:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T07:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/?post_type=project&#038;p=559"},"modified":"2026-04-04T13:20:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T11:20:44","slug":"vrobocoop","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/project\/vrobocoop\/","title":{"rendered":"VRoboCoop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VRoboCoop addresses a key challenge of modern Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0: reliable and safe human-robot collaboration with large industrial robots While much of today\u2019s HRC research focuses on lightweight robots with limited reach and payload, real industrial environments frequently rely on heavy-duty robots that handle large components or move high loads. This is precisely where VRoboCoop comes in, developing methods that enable humans and large robots to work together productively, safely, and in a trust-based manner.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project explores AI-based methods for robust human detection and for interpreting human actions within the task context. The goal is for the robot not only to detect people, but also to understand their behavior and estimate the residual risk of its own decisions. Instead of classical safety concepts that simply stop or slow down the robot when someone enters a safety zone, VRoboCoop pursues intelligent safety strategies: the system evaluates the overall situation, dynamically adapts speed, motion paths, and reaction patterns, and thus enables truly collaborative work with large robots.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another key focus is building trust in human-robot collaboration. Large industrial robots are often perceived as intimidating by workers. VRoboCoop therefore investigates how motion behavior, feedback, and interaction design can be shaped to foster appropriate \u2013 but not reckless \u2013 levels of trust. The developed technologies are demonstrated and evaluated in three practice-oriented use cases: composite manufacturing, robot-based inspection and rework of large components, and collaborative maintenance of vehicles.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Project objectives and technical innovation<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VRoboCoop aims to make human-robot collaboration with large industrial robots significantly safer, more efficient, and more widely accepted, thereby unlocking new application areas for HRC in industry.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key technical innovations are:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>KI-basierte Menschenerkennung und Aktionsinterpretation mit integrierter Selbstdiagnose, sodass die AI-based human detection and action interpretation with integrated self-diagnosis, making the reliability of situation assessment measurable and the residual risk estimable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intelligent safety concepts for large robots that use sensor data, context information, and AI to assess the overall situation and combine safety with productivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Methods for trust-building in human-robot interaction that quantify trust between humans and robots, systematically build it up, and at the same time prevent overly risky behavior.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Three realistic robotic cells for composite manufacturing, inspection and rework of large components, and collaborative vehicle maintenance, in which the developed HRC technologies are demonstrated and refined<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clear benefits for industry, research, and the regional technology ecosystem.<\/h3>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For industrial companies: Safer and more efficient human-robot collaboration with large industrial robots, reduced downtime, and better utilization of existing robotics investments through intelligent safety functions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For research &amp; development: New AI methods for human detection, trust modelling, and context-aware safety logic provide essential building blocks for future HRC solutions and standardization efforts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For the region of Upper Austria: Supported by the regional government and ERDF funding and driven by the collaboration between PROFACTOR and FH O\u00d6 Campus Wels, VRoboCoop strengthens local expertise in robotics, automation, and human-robot collaboration with large robots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":558,"template":"","categories":[70,51],"class_list":["post-559","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automation-for-flexible-manufacturing","category-industry-5-0"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.profactor.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}