Implementation of virtual reality systems for simulation of human-robot collaboration

A collaboration between human and robot can implicate many advantages for complex industrial assembly processes, especially as increased flexibility and adaptability become a key feature of production systems. The use of virtual reality (VR) systems has the potential to simulate cooperative processes in advance and to include workers and their individual behavior into the simulation. The use of VR simulations makes it possible to secure processes and reduce physical and mental barriers between human and robot. This paper presents a methodical approach for the implementation of systems for the virtual testing of collaborative assembly processes. Following the aim of replicating the assembly process with the highest possible immersion, a specific VR system is derived from an analysis of the assembly process. Core features of the system are the physical simulation of the assembly process, the integration of the robot control and a haptic feedback for the operator.