betekintés - Robotics, Construction - # Robotic Assistance for Carpentry Workers

Towards a Human-Centered Robotic Companion for Contextual Assistance in Carpentry Construction

Q: How can the "work companion rover" be further expanded to provide more advanced manipulation capabilities, such as autonomous tool/material loading, to enhance its support functions for carpentry workers?

To enhance the "work companion rover" and provide more advanced manipulation capabilities, such as autonomous tool/material loading, several key steps can be taken: Enhanced Sensor Suite: Implementing advanced sensors like RFID tags or computer vision systems can enable the robot to identify and locate tools and materials autonomously. This would involve integrating these sensors into the existing hardware system to enhance perception capabilities. Robotic Arm Attachment: Adding a robotic arm to the rover can facilitate autonomous tool/material loading. The arm can be programmed to pick up, transport, and place items as needed, reducing the manual effort required from workers. Object Recognition and Grasping: Incorporating machine learning algorithms for object recognition and grasping can enable the robot to identify specific tools and materials, grasp them securely, and transport them to the desired location with precision. Autonomous Navigation and Path Planning: Enhancing the robot's navigation capabilities with advanced algorithms for path planning and obstacle avoidance can ensure smooth and efficient movement within the construction site, even when carrying loads. Integration with Centralized Systems: Connecting the robot to centralized systems or databases can provide real-time updates on tool/material availability and location, enabling the robot to autonomously retrieve items as needed. By implementing these enhancements, the "work companion rover" can evolve into a more autonomous and efficient assistant for carpentry workers, streamlining the tool/material handling process and enhancing overall workflow productivity.

Q: What are the potential challenges and ethical considerations in deploying such human-robot collaborative systems in construction sites, where worker autonomy and job security may be concerns?

Deploying human-robot collaborative systems in construction sites poses several challenges and ethical considerations that need to be addressed: Job Displacement: One of the primary concerns is the potential displacement of human workers by robots, leading to job insecurity and loss of livelihoods. It is essential to ensure that the introduction of robots complements human labor rather than replacing it entirely. Safety and Liability: Ensuring the safety of both human workers and robots in shared workspaces is crucial. Clear protocols and safety measures must be established to prevent accidents and mitigate liability issues in case of mishaps. Data Privacy and Security: Human-robot collaborative systems often involve the collection and processing of sensitive data. Safeguarding this data against breaches and unauthorized access is essential to protect the privacy of workers and maintain trust in the system. Ethical Decision-Making: Robots in collaborative settings may face ethical dilemmas that require decision-making capabilities. Ensuring that robots adhere to ethical standards and guidelines in their interactions with humans is vital for maintaining ethical conduct on construction sites. Worker Autonomy: Preserving the autonomy and decision-making authority of human workers is crucial. Robots should be designed to assist and support human workers rather than dictate or control their actions, respecting the expertise and judgment of human labor. Addressing these challenges and ethical considerations requires a comprehensive approach that prioritizes the well-being and rights of workers while leveraging the benefits of human-robot collaboration to enhance productivity and safety in construction sites.

Alapfogalmak

A human-centered "work companion rover" prototype is designed to closely support carpentry workers in their existing, labor-intensive tasks by autonomously delivering tools and materials, bearing loads, and accompanying workers, while navigating complex construction environments through a contextual reinforcement learning-driven framework.

Kivonat

The paper introduces a human-centered approach to integrating robotics in the construction industry, focusing on developing a "work companion rover" prototype to assist carpentry workers in their labor-intensive tasks.

Key highlights:

The rover is designed to perform three key functions: sending tools/materials to workers, summoning the rover, and accompanying workers between work zones.
The rover's hardware is tailored for navigating the unstructured and cluttered construction environment, with a robust chassis, multi-modal sensors, and a customizable container.
The paper presents a modular framework that addresses the challenges of mapping, localization, worker detection/tracking, and contextual reinforcement learning-based navigation in construction settings.
Qualitative on-site demonstrations and quantitative lab evaluations validate the rover's ability to provide comfortable and unobtrusive support to workers, highlighting the benefits of the RL-based social navigation approach.
The work advocates for a collaborative human-robot workforce model, where adaptive robots support rather than replace skilled construction workers.

Összefoglaló testreszabása

Átírás mesterséges intelligenciával

Hivatkozások generálása

Forrás fordítása

Egy másik nyelvre

Gondolattérkép létrehozása

a forrásanyagból

Forrás megtekintése

arxiv.org

Statisztikák

"Construction remains the world's most labor-intensive industry [1], characterized by its highly manual nature and bespoke building needs."
"Over the past decades, a significant body of robotic research [4] has aimed at creating task-specific systems designed to either entirely or partially automate work trades in construction, such as floor leveling [5], spray painting [6], and bricklaying [7]."
"Our observations revealed that workers, in addition to their primary installation work, spend considerable effort in transporting tools, materials, and hardware in small batches to their work zones, either from a distant central workbench or a previous work area. Within a single hour, we noted upwards of 20 such traversals."

Idézetek

"Drawing from the lessons of past endeavors in construction robotics [8], our research adopts a human-centric approach, informed by the latest developments in deep reinforcement learning (RL) [9]. This approach diverges from the traditional aim of complete automation of manual construction processes."
"This hybrid, transitive model of robotically supported work collaboration seeks to address enduring construction challenges, including reducing physical strain, mitigating workplace injuries, and enhancing workflow fluency."

Főbb Kivonatok

Towards Human-Centered Construction Robotics

by Yuning Wu,Ji... : arxiv.org 03-29-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.19060.pdf

Towards Human-Centered Construction Robotics

Mélyebb kérdések

How can the "work companion rover" be further expanded to provide more advanced manipulation capabilities, such as autonomous tool/material loading, to enhance its support functions for carpentry workers?

To enhance the "work companion rover" and provide more advanced manipulation capabilities, such as autonomous tool/material loading, several key steps can be taken:

Enhanced Sensor Suite: Implementing advanced sensors like RFID tags or computer vision systems can enable the robot to identify and locate tools and materials autonomously. This would involve integrating these sensors into the existing hardware system to enhance perception capabilities.

Robotic Arm Attachment: Adding a robotic arm to the rover can facilitate autonomous tool/material loading. The arm can be programmed to pick up, transport, and place items as needed, reducing the manual effort required from workers.

Object Recognition and Grasping: Incorporating machine learning algorithms for object recognition and grasping can enable the robot to identify specific tools and materials, grasp them securely, and transport them to the desired location with precision.

Autonomous Navigation and Path Planning: Enhancing the robot's navigation capabilities with advanced algorithms for path planning and obstacle avoidance can ensure smooth and efficient movement within the construction site, even when carrying loads.

Integration with Centralized Systems: Connecting the robot to centralized systems or databases can provide real-time updates on tool/material availability and location, enabling the robot to autonomously retrieve items as needed.

By implementing these enhancements, the "work companion rover" can evolve into a more autonomous and efficient assistant for carpentry workers, streamlining the tool/material handling process and enhancing overall workflow productivity.

What are the potential challenges and ethical considerations in deploying such human-robot collaborative systems in construction sites, where worker autonomy and job security may be concerns?

Deploying human-robot collaborative systems in construction sites poses several challenges and ethical considerations that need to be addressed:

Job Displacement: One of the primary concerns is the potential displacement of human workers by robots, leading to job insecurity and loss of livelihoods. It is essential to ensure that the introduction of robots complements human labor rather than replacing it entirely.

Safety and Liability: Ensuring the safety of both human workers and robots in shared workspaces is crucial. Clear protocols and safety measures must be established to prevent accidents and mitigate liability issues in case of mishaps.

Data Privacy and Security: Human-robot collaborative systems often involve the collection and processing of sensitive data. Safeguarding this data against breaches and unauthorized access is essential to protect the privacy of workers and maintain trust in the system.

Ethical Decision-Making: Robots in collaborative settings may face ethical dilemmas that require decision-making capabilities. Ensuring that robots adhere to ethical standards and guidelines in their interactions with humans is vital for maintaining ethical conduct on construction sites.

Worker Autonomy: Preserving the autonomy and decision-making authority of human workers is crucial. Robots should be designed to assist and support human workers rather than dictate or control their actions, respecting the expertise and judgment of human labor.

Addressing these challenges and ethical considerations requires a comprehensive approach that prioritizes the well-being and rights of workers while leveraging the benefits of human-robot collaboration to enhance productivity and safety in construction sites.

How can the insights and approaches from this research on construction robotics be applied to other labor-intensive industries to foster more human-centered automation and assistive technologies?

The insights and approaches from research on construction robotics can be applied to other labor-intensive industries to foster more human-centered automation and assistive technologies through the following strategies:

Contextual Understanding: Understanding the specific needs and challenges of different industries is crucial for developing human-centered automation solutions. By conducting in-depth studies and observations, researchers can tailor robotic systems to meet the unique requirements of each industry.

Collaborative Models: Emphasizing collaborative models where robots support rather than replace human workers can enhance productivity and safety across various industries. Robots should be designed to assist and augment human capabilities, leading to more efficient and harmonious work environments.

Advanced Sensor Technologies: Integrating advanced sensor technologies like LiDAR, computer vision, and RFID systems can enhance perception and interaction capabilities in diverse industrial settings. These sensors enable robots to navigate complex environments, identify objects, and interact with human workers effectively.

Adaptive Learning Algorithms: Implementing adaptive learning algorithms, such as reinforcement learning, can enable robots to adapt to dynamic work environments and changing tasks. By continuously learning and improving their performance, robots can become more versatile and responsive to human needs.

Ethical Considerations: Prioritizing ethical considerations, such as data privacy, safety, and worker autonomy, is essential when deploying automation technologies in labor-intensive industries. Ensuring that robots operate ethically and transparently fosters trust and acceptance among human workers.

By applying these insights and approaches to other labor-intensive industries, researchers and practitioners can develop innovative and human-centered automation solutions that enhance productivity, safety, and overall work quality across a wide range of industrial settings.