A New Approach to System Safety of human- multi-robot mobile system control with STPA and FTA

Abstract

Autonomous Mobile multi-robots are among the most complex systems in their control. Especially when those robots navigate in hazardous and dynamic environments such as chemical analysis laboratories which include dangerous and harmful products (poisonous, flammable, explosive ...). This study deals the safety problem in a robotic analysis laboratory and investigates the possibility to use those autonomous multi-robots in such environments with the presence of human workers without serious hazards. We used a systems-theoretic hazard analysis technique (STPA) in addition to fault tree analysis to identify the potential safety hazard scenarios, their causal factors and we conclude by a set of recommendations. Keywords: Hazard Analysis, STPA, FTA, Collaborative multi-mobile robots.