Workplace monitoring and semantic entity identification for safe machine operation

Abstract

An integrated system and method for monitoring a workspace, classifying regions therein, dynamically identifying safe states, and identifying and tracking workpieces utilizes semantic analysis of a robot in the workspace and identification of the workpieces with which it interacts, as well as a semantic understanding of entity properties both governing and arising from interaction with other entities for control purposes. These properties may be stored in a profile corresponding to the entity; depending on the implementation, the profile and methods associated with the entity may be stored in a data structure corresponding to the entity 'class.' Volumetric regions (e.g., voxels) corresponding to each entity may be tracked and used to implement object methods and/or control methods. For example, machinery may be controlled in accordance with the attributes specified by the objects corresponding to identified entities in a monitored workspace.