Slip Risk Monitoring in Industrial Workplace Using Mobile Robot

A mobile robot equipped with 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, and incremental optical encoders is constructed to evaluate its capability of assessing slip risks in the workplace. The velocity of the mobile robot is controlled by a digital signal processor (DSP) such that the mobile robot is brought to a sudden stop or maneuvers with constant velocity while measuring the accelerations and wheel-rotation speeds of the mobile robot to identify the surface condition of workplace floor. Based on the measurements, a correlation between frictional coefficient and the acceleration and the wheel rotation speed is identified. The mobile robot capable of evaluating the surface condition of a workplace floor is expected to greatly contribute to reducing injuries from slipping and falling in the workplace.