As two-legged and four-legged robots begin to find applications in supply chain operations, the sector is refining its safety standards to ensure that humanoid and collaborative robots can be deployed at scale, according to a report from Interact Analysis.The work is necessary because the unique mechanics associated with legged robotics introduce new challenges around stability, fall dynamics, and unpredictable motion, according to report author Clara Sipes, a market analyst at Interact Analysis. Specifically, unlike statically stable machines, dynamically stable machines such as humanoids collapse when power is cut, creating residual risk in the event of a fall.In response, new standards such as ISO 26058-1 and ISO 25785-1 have been developed to address both statically and dynamically stable mobile robotics. And TR R15.108 examines the challenges associated with bipedal, quadrupedal, and wheeled balancing mobile robotsAccording to the report, one of the most notable shifts is the removal of references to “collaborative modes.” In the most recent, collaborative robots must be evaluated based on the application, not the robot alone, since each application carries its own risks, and the standard now encourages assessing the entire environment within which the robot operates.Additional changes cover requirements for improved cyber resilience, the report said. European regulatory changes, particularly the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), AI Act, and Machinery Regulation, are establishing a unified framework for safety, cybersecurity, and risk management. That will shape the future of industrial automation by addressing new vulnerabilities within products that are increasingly connected to a network.In response to those changing conditions…
