IMPROV: Toolbox for Building Safe, Modular Robots Aware of Surroundings

Robots operating in manufacturing facilities have often posed risks to workers because they are not responsive enough to their surroundings. To make it easier for people and robots to work in close proximity in the future, researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM)  have developed the IMPROV system. The toolbox principle allows for the simple assembly of safe robots using various components. The modules can be combined in almost any way desired, enabling companies to customize their robots for a wide range of tasks – or just replace damaged parts.