Standards Development

Scope

This document states safety requirements for industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability
and their systems, which include robots that have an unspecified number of legs, wheels, or other
types of mobility. These robots are sometimes referred to as "self-balancing". Such robots can also
include an unspecified number of arms. These robots travel on the ground, which can have varying
elevations, in an industrial environment.
For the purpose of this document, “actively controlled stability” refers to a robot that requires an active
control in order to remain balanced and could become unstable in the absence of power.
Note 1: Industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability can include quadrupedal, bipedal, or
wheeled balancing robots.
For the purpose of this document, an "industrial environment" is a workplace where the public is
excluded or restricted from access.
This document deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations or hazardous events when
industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability are used as intended, and under specified
conditions of misuse which are reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer.
This document, Part 1, is intended to be the first in a series addressing safety requirements. Part 2, to
be developed separately, will address safety requirements for the integration of applications of
industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability.
Exclusions:
The following robots are out of scope of this document:
• robots whose travel speed and travel direction is solely under control of a driver or an operator (e.g.,
human remote control, human continuous local control);
• robots whose travel is solely mechanically guided;
• robots which are intended to be ridden by humans,
• robots which are worn by humans (e.g., exoskeletons),
• road vehicles;
• airborne, waterborne, or underwater robots;
• commercial and industrial floor-cleaning robots; and
• robots when used in non-industrial environments.
Note 2: Safety requirements for mobile robots used in non-industrial environments can be found in
other standards (e.g., ISO 13482).
Note 3: Examples of mobile robots used in non-industrial environments can include: Mobile robots
intended for consumer or household use; undersea, military and space robots; or medical, surgical, or
rehabilitative mobile robots.
This document does not cover the hazards related to:
• severe conditions (e.g., extreme climates, freezer applications, strong magnetic fields);
• traversing a vertical surface;
• underground use;
• specific hygienic requirements;
• corrosive or potentially explosive environments (dust, liquid, vapour or gas);
• use in nuclear environments;#

• ionizing and hazardous non-ionizing radiation; and
• handling loads the nature of which can lead to dangerous situations (e.g., molten metals, acids/bases,
radiating materials).

Purpose

Market Need: In the market today, industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability are deployed at facilities with growth expected to mirror the AMR/AGV market. There is currently no ISO safety standard either published or in development for industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability using legged, wheeled, or other forms of locomotion. Problem Addressed: The existing safety standards for industrial robotics and driverless industrial trucks do not address the hazards and requirements of industrial mobile robots with actively controlled stability. These are excluded from the scope of ISO 3691-4, which covers safety of driverless industrial trucks. ISO 10218- 1 and -2 address safety of industrial robots and their integration, but not the risks associated with mobility. ISO 13482 does not address robots in the industrial environment. Value to Standards Users: An ISO C-Type safety standard specifying safety requirements for dynamically stable industrial mobile robots is needed. These machines are currently in use at facilities and their use is expected to expand in future.