Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Christopher G Mason

Gary Dan Dotson

Yanbin Zhang

Xiaobo Peng

A human machine interface for an industrial automation control system includes at least one touchless input device that is adapted to be in a first state in which said human machine interface provides a first input to said industrial automation control system or a second state in which said human machine interface provides a second input to said industrial automation control system. The at least one touchless input device includes first and second touchless input sensors each configured to detect hand gestures of an operator's hand to provide input to said human machine interface based upon said gestures. The first and second touchless input sensors can be identical with respect to each other or different. In one example, one or both of the sensors are both time-of-flight sensors and one of the sensors can be an electric field proximity sensor. A method of providing a human machine interface with at least one touchless input device is provided. In one embodiment, the touchless input device provides an emergency stop (Estop) switch device.

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Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Christopher G Mason