=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2348/short07
|storemode=property
|title=Framework for Requirement Analysis in the Design of Collaborative Robots on Construction Sides
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2348/short07.pdf
|volume=Vol-2348
|authors=Verena Steidel
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/cerc/Steidel19
}}
==Framework for Requirement Analysis in the Design of Collaborative Robots on Construction Sides==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2348/short07.pdf
Smart Factory and Robotics
Framework for requirement analysis in the design of
collaborative robots on construction sides
M.Sc. Verena Steidel1
1
TU Darmstadt, Otto-Bernd-Straße 2, 64287 Darmstadt
v.steidel@iad.tu-darmstadt.de
Abstract. The workplaces on construction sites are comparatively little auto-
mated, as they have a high degree of flexibility in tasks and a diverse physical
environment, that makes a high level of automation difficult. However, the phys-
ical workload is often very high for construction workers, leading to a high risk
for musculoskeletal disorders. It would therefore be conceivable to use physical
assistance systems to reduce the workload of the construction worker. This might
be achieved by collaborative robots: they can combine the advantages of a robot
with those of humans to adapt to different situations.
The following article develops a framework for the requirements that are neces-
sary in order to design a collaborative robot for the work on construction sites.
For this engineering and ergonomic approaches are combined. Based on a work
system approach and requirements examined for fixed work cells in the industry,
the characteristics of the work on a construction site are clustered to. That can be
used to derive requirements for the assistive robot.
Keywords: Construction work, human robot collaboration, work system analy-
sis, requirements
1 Introduction
Most construction workers work on their jobs and tasks decentral on their sides under
all weather conditions. Therefore, the workplace of the construction worker is regularly
changing, when a new project starts. Also building itself contains the remodeling of the
environment. This requires a high flexibility and adaption to the physical environment
in which the tasks are carried out. Furthermore, one worker often performs a variety of
tasks with different demands within their jobs [1]. Compared to automated systems,
humans excel in mobility and adaption to new spaces and tasks [2–4] This is the reason
why, in most cases, the work on construction sides has a low level of automatisation.
However, the risk for musculo-skeletal disorders due to physical workload is high for
construction workers. For example, musculo-skeletal disorders caused 20,1 % of the
work incapability days in 2016 [2]. Following the TOP principle, usually applied in
ergonomics [5], technical solutions should be used first of all to reduce the physiologi-
cal strain on these workstations.
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One possible technical solution is the use of collaborative robots for tasks with high
physical demands. A collaborative robot can be defined as a robot that works in close
proximity with the work person in the same workspace and is closely interacting with
the work person in order to achieve their common work goal [6]. As collaborative ro-
bots might be able to work closely together with the human, they combine high repeti-
tion accuracy and high physical action force with the benefits of the human worker.
Therefore, collaborative robots have been widely advertised as assistive systems adapt-
able to the work persons needs in industries [4].
This contribution aims to develop a framework for the analysis of user requirements
for collaborative robots on construction sides. The framework should help to analyze
the special circumstances, on construction sides and due to the near collaboration of
human and robot.
2 Method
A multidisciplinary approach is used, combining engineering and ergonomic
knowledge, to set the framework. First common methods and procedures in product
development process from an engineering and an ergonomic point of view are re-
viewed. Afterwards general frameworks for requirement analysis are introduced. Then
application of these methods in the field of human robot collaboration regarding task
allocation and requirement analysis is reviewed.
Based on these insights, a framework for the development of the requirement analyze
is derived. To identify the context of use, the work system approach has been used.
Key groups that are derived from the reviewed literature, that consider topics that need
to be addressed when designing a robot for a job on a construction side.
3 State of the Art
There is a wide range of methods and approaches that are proposed for product de-
velopment process they differ in the specific problems that need to be considered the
design. Different standard approaches are used for the design of human robot collabo-
ration. While Ore et al. [7] and Duffy et al. [8] adapt the generally known product de-
sign process from Pahl and Beitz [9], Nelles et al [10] choose the framework of the
human centered design process. Both Ogorodnikova et al. [11] and Weber et al. [4]
presents a framework for the development of the work station with high focus on safe
physical interaction.
The requirement analysis is a crucial part of all product design processes [9]. In the
user centered design process, the requirements are derived from the context of use [12].
The standard proposes to derive them form the context of use, the needs of the user,
existing standards, and usability requirements, and organizational requirements.
With focus of the practical implementation, the analysis of potential of industrial
human robot collaboration various authors propose both ecological and ergonomic
point of views [4, 7–9, 13, 14]. Also the operator participation from an early stage on
is considered essential for a successful implementation [4, 15].
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Two methods have been found in the literature for application of specific require-
ments. Ore et al [7] addresses the functional characteristic, quality criteria and geomet-
rical characteristics in the first stage of the design of a human robot workstation. Also
the necessity for a rough analysis of the potential form an ecological point of view is
highlighted. Weber et al on the contrary focus highly on the safety of the workperson
and address technological, medical and biomechanical requirements, ergonomic re-
quirements and work organizational requirements that apply to the safety and wellbeing
of the human worker [4, 7, 16, 17]
Both authors focus on safety of the working person as crucial requirement for the
successful implementation. To achieve this, the application of applicate the standards
EN ISO 10218 part 1 and part 2 defining the safety of industrial robots and the technical
specification ISO/TS 150066 for collaborative robots is necessary [4, 14].
Apart from its potential for reducing the physical load, simply introducing a collab-
orative robot to a work system to take over some or all of the humans physical tasks, is
not sufficient enough, to harvest the full potential of the synergies between human and
robot [17]. Therefore, task allocation is one of the most important parts on the early
development stages for a successful assistive robot [18]. The human performance is
highly dependent on the workload, hence, if humans are supervisors without participa-
tion, their performance is poor [19]. Therefore, the workload, skills, aptitude and strain
of the human needs consideration [4]. There is a wide research body on the strain that
might be caused by the robot properties, for example the robots movement and position
[20]. An Overview on the impact of robots on the human well-being is provided by
Nelles et al [21].
However, these approaches focus on fixed workstations in production lines and cy-
clic tasks with limited tools and materials. Up to the authors knowledge, there has been
no framework of requirements analysis for robots in mobile workplaces or frequently
changing tasks. However, this mobility and flexibility needs to be addressed in order to
implement a successful and accepted robot on construction sides.
4 Framework
The key objective of the framework is to help implementing human factors, into the
technical design process in order to achieve a work system that enables human and
robot work together effectively and efficiently on their tasks and to enhance the satis-
faction and wellbeing of the human.
Therefore, the first step is to analyze the tasks that need to be fulfilled, the active
elements of the work system, its purpose and the input and output of the system. Here
there should be especially a focus on the stress that might be caused by the demands of
the tasks and the strain and aptitude of the user.
The tasks need to be allocated between robot and working person. As mentioned
above, this is takes careful considerations. However, task allocation will be not ad-
dressed in this paper.
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The requirements that can be analyzed based on the work system are clustered in
four groups: functional requirements and user related requirements, the physical envi-
ronment and organization set requirements. The groups are displayed in Fig. 1. Safety
needs to be addressed as foundation for a successful implementation and is related to
all groups.
The user related requirements address the overall goal that the human should be able to
work along the robot without restriction of his physical and mental well-being There-
fore the demands of the working persons remaining tasks should be balanced and the
impact of the robot on the strain and aptitude of the worker minimalized. In collabora-
tion, the worker and the robot need to coordinate each other. Therefore, means of com-
munication are necessary. These should have a high usability, especially regarding re-
programming and general control. It is important that there is no reduction of comfort
or productivity if the worker is to accept the robot as an assistance system.
Fig. 1. Framework of topic groups for the Requirement analysis.
The functional requirements examine from a technical point of view the characteristics
and the requirements of the robot directly related to his function. These include require-
ments that concern the handling of the materials as well as requirements which define
the tools the manipulator needs to fulfill the tasks. On construction sides, the variety of
jobs and their tasks need to be accessed. Also the materials that are often viscous can
be challenging for the manipulator. In many cases it might be suitable to have a mobile
solution, that can move independently within the work space. For this and also for
safety, the robot’s perception and information processing capabilities need to be dimen-
sioned appropriately.
This leads to the third group the physical environment. As mentioned above, the con-
struction sides are often distributed decentral. So the robot needs to be able to adapt to
new environments. Also, the workspace is constantly changing, which is challenging
the robot. The types of different situations need to be considered. The properties of
physical environment also can be confounding factors- on construction sides there is
often humility, dirt or dust, that can affect the system heavily. The robot should be
design resilient against these.
The fourth group is summarizing the demands that arise regarding output of the work
system and the overall planning. These concern the overall system efficiency, econom-
ical aspects, such as the price of the robot and the criteria for evaluation regarding to
the standards.
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5 Conclusion
With this framework the requirements for the robot as assistance and support system
on a construction site can be examined. With the work system approach it is assured,
that all aspects of the future workplace are considered. In future, the framework will be
applied and evaluated on the example of tilers. Furthermore, more research should be
carried out on the topic of task allocation in non -cyclic tasks and the impact of the
robot on the strain and aptitude of the work person.
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