Industrial co-worker scenarios require save, flexible, and efficient control of robots. The goal of MoFTaG is to transform a data-driven model-free learning method that has been recently developed for high DOF-humanoid platforms into a ready-to apply real world tool for teaching co-worker robots flexible motion. Concretely spoken, our compliant 7-DOF KUKA Light Weight Robot 4 with force-torque sensors in each joint explores the task space with a human tutor through kinesthetic teaching. This procedure provides training data for the RNN controller which provides constraints for the redundancy resolution in the trained areas and generalize to the untrained workspace areas. Therefore, this approach allows a flexible and fast reconfiguration of the arm to new environments.

As a first step, we have presented at CogSys 2012 a poster showing some results of the accuracy analysis of our system. The evaluation is based on 3D trajectories in task space generated between random points by our hybrid controller which has been enhanced with the learned constraints (taught on the real arm through physical interaction). Further, we plan to analyze the intuitiveness of the training and the quality of the training data in a study with workers from a company who might be potential addressees of our system. Our dissemination partner OWL Maschinenbau established a contact to Harting (www.harting.de) which could provide us with workers who normally assemble products for small-series productions. As their working places are often quite non-ergonomic, these workers might benefit in future from a third robotic hand.

Two important aspects need to be considered in the study design: first, the safety of our arm and second, the motivation for the study. For safety, our robot was assessed by the company's Safety department and the Employers Mutual Insurance association. Due to our different safety levels built into our system and the low stiffness of the arm during execution, we got the admission for our study. For the motivation selling the study, we have considered in particular the fact that no fears with respect to job loss should be induced. Details on the story and the planned questionnaires could be looked up in the attachments.