In many factories today, humans and robots work side by side. But working together is laborious. Employees either have to keep a constant eye on the robot or approve each of its steps individually. This costs time and nerves. A new research group at Chemnitz University of Technology wants to change this. The scientists are working on making robots recognize where people are looking and what they are doing.
Robot adapts to attention
The project is called MaTraB. There is a clear idea behind it. The researchers want to find out how robots can communicate their movements in such a way that humans can understand them. At the same time, the robot should adapt its behavior. If an employee is looking somewhere else, the machine behaves differently than if it is being observed directly. "This requires transparent communication between humans and robots, which provides information about who is working where and when," explain the scientists.
The technology behind this is called eye tracking. It can be used to measure where someone is looking. The robot receives this information and reacts accordingly. Special computer programs ensure that everything works in real time. The goal is clear. The aim is to make collaboration safer and create more trust. In addition, both sides should be able to work more efficiently.
