Article: Applying the STAMP system safety engineering methodology to the design of a domestic robot Journal: International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies (IJASS) 2015 Vol.6 No.1 pp.81 - 102 Abstract: Domestic robots are far beyond technical apparatuses; they include management of processes and structures that involve organisational and cultural aspects. These robots could be viewed as socio-technical systems since they are operating in the house and the most domestic scenarios depend on close human-robot interaction. Taking into account the fact that particular safety standards for domestic robots are not available, in this paper, we propose a new approach to a safety standard developed using a novel methodology. This methodology can be applied to other standardisation activities and is based on powerful hazard analysis technique developed by MIT. It goes far beyond covering only component failure, human error and software issues, by including safety design constraints, management of the system, cooperation among manufacturer, user and government, paradigms from industrial robots safety, accident/incident investigation. All the aforementioned non-technical aspects of the system could not be ignored. Identifying all the involved parameters, technical or not, this paper proposes a new approach to a safety standard for domestic robots, filling a gap not only in the standards domain but most importantly in the approach. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Applying the STAMP system safety engineering methodology to the design of a domestic robot

Authors: Eleftheria Mitka; Spyridon G. Mouroutsos

Addresses: School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, University Campus of Kimmeria, Xanthi, 67100, Greece ' School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, University Campus of Kimmeria, Xanthi, 67100, Greece

Abstract: Domestic robots are far beyond technical apparatuses; they include management of processes and structures that involve organisational and cultural aspects. These robots could be viewed as socio-technical systems since they are operating in the house and the most domestic scenarios depend on close human-robot interaction. Taking into account the fact that particular safety standards for domestic robots are not available, in this paper, we propose a new approach to a safety standard developed using a novel methodology. This methodology can be applied to other standardisation activities and is based on powerful hazard analysis technique developed by MIT. It goes far beyond covering only component failure, human error and software issues, by including safety design constraints, management of the system, cooperation among manufacturer, user and government, paradigms from industrial robots safety, accident/incident investigation. All the aforementioned non-technical aspects of the system could not be ignored. Identifying all the involved parameters, technical or not, this paper proposes a new approach to a safety standard for domestic robots, filling a gap not only in the standards domain but most importantly in the approach.

Keywords: system safety engineering; safety standards; domestic robots; sociotechnical systems; STS; human-robot interaction; HRI; robot design; robot safety.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASS.2015.071095

International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies, 2015 Vol.6 No.1, pp.81 - 102

Received: 27 Jan 2014
Accepted: 05 Feb 2015
Published online: 12 Aug 2015 *

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Title: Applying the STAMP system safety engineering methodology to the design of a domestic robot

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