A methods-time-measurement based approach to enable action recognition for multi-variant assembly in Human-Robot Collaboration

Abstract

Action Recognition (AR) has become a popular approach to ensure efficient and safe Human-Robot Collaboration. Current research approaches are mostly optimized for specific assembly processes and settings. This paper introduces a novel approach to extend the field of AR to multi-variant assembly processes. The approach is based on generalized action primitives derived from Methods-Time-Measurement (MTM) analysis that are detected by an AR system using skeletal data. Subsequently a search algorithm combines the information from AR and MTM to provide an estimate of the assembly progress. One possible implementation is shown in a proof of concept and results as well as future work are discussed.