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From: merrill@raja.DEC (Rick)
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: Robot Safety
Message-ID: <1773@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 07:40:25 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1773
Posted: Tue Apr 23 07:40:25 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 05:25:54 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 25

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  "`On July 21, 1984, a 34-year-old male worker in Michigan was operating
an automated die-casting system that included an industrial robot.  At
approximately 1:15 p.m., he was found pinned between the back end of the
robot and a 4-inch-diameter steel safety pole used to restrict undesired
arm movement by the robot.  The robot stalled, applying sustained pressure
to the chest of the operator, who experienced cardiopulmonary arrest...
the worker was admitted comatose to a local hospital, where he died 5 days
later.'

  "The report provides additional details.  Apparently the operator
climbed around the safety bars and was trying to clean up metal scrap
on the floor when he got pinned by the robot.  The operator was thought to
be fairly competent, but had a practice of sneaking into the robot's
work envelope every so often.  He evidently didn't anticipate the motions
of the back of the robot as well as he anticipated the gripper motion.
The company has since installed a chain link fence around the work cell."
------------
The socalled "safety bars" COULD have been made of a resilliant or rubber
base so that it would yield and allow the worker to be thrown clear.  It
is clear that he was killed by the combination of robot and "safety bar."

Artificial intelligence won't save lives - REAL intelligence might!

	Rick Merrill