Design of safety system for autonomous concrete surface processing

Sammanfattning: This thesis describes the development of a safety system for a mobile robotic cell for an autonomous grinding machine. The utilization of autonomous construction equipment presents the opportunity to streamline construction processes and save time and money. This entails the development of sufficient safety equipment lowering the risk of accidents. The goals of the project are the identification of key parameters affecting the system, the identification of a market segment for the product and a conceptual design of the safety system. During the first phase, extensive research, interviews and testing was conducted. This acted as the basis for the creation of customer needs and product specifications. The second phase consisted of iterative concept generation resulting in the final concept, the Hydra. The Hydra safety system is comprised of two sets of light grids and mirrors mounted on five stands creating a rectangular perimeter that detects the entry of unauthorized objects. The system has a high degree of usability allowing for quick and easy setup and takedown. The system is deemed to be of interest to medium to large-sized companies with experience in the industry.