Questions: Human-Robot Interaction and Collaborative Robots
1 questions to test your understanding
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Question 1 Multiple Choice
A collaborative robot arm works alongside a human assembling electronics. To prevent injury if the robot hits the human, the designers implement a force limit: if the robot applies force > F_max = 80 N to any contact, motors instantly cut power. Is this sufficient for safe human-robot collaboration?
AYes, 80 N is enough to stop the robot before significant injury
BNo, because the robot has momentum and cutting power doesn't stop it instantly; it will coast and apply additional force before decelerating
CYes, if the force limit is combined with slow speeds (< 0.5 m/s)
DNo, because 80 N is arbitrary and different body parts have different injury thresholds
This shift from physical separation to force-limited interaction is why collaborative robots are a distinct category. Traditional industrial arms can be 500 N impact forces; cobots are designed to be <220 N. This changes hardware (lighter, compliant designs), software (force control loops, compliance), and operational procedures (speed limits, no hard tools). The safety model is fundamentally different — prevention of injury through controlled interaction, not prevention of contact through physical barriers.