Humanoid robots in industry – Safety

Also, in Europe the first bigger companies are beginning to test humanoid robots in industrial use. But is that so easily possible? What safety requirements and regulations shall be followed?

In comparison to classic industrial robots, humanoid robots are designed to be human-like. This allows them to take on work tasks that were previously performed by a human. There is no need for costly conversion of the workplace. This makes humanoid robots particularly interesting from an economic point of view.

Photo: Pixabay (Download: 30.03.2025, 14:53)

Despite their human-like appearance, humanoid robots are machines. The European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC or the Machinery Regulation EU 1230, which will come into force in 2027, make no exceptions. When humanoid robots are used in industrial environments, e.g. in production, they shall meet the requirements of the Machinery Directive. This means that they shall be equipped with an EC declaration of conformity and a CE mark.

However, as experts have learned, most of the currently available humanoid robots cannot yet meet the requirements of the European Machinery Directive. Can they still be used in industry without any additional safeguard? The answer is initially no.

On the other hand, companies are not prohibited from investigating and testing new technologies, e.g. in the context of research projects. By this, the humanoid robots are not yet being used in production, but in a closed test environment. However, even these activities are not permitted without safety precautions. The necessary technical and organisational safety measures are to be determined as part of a risk assessment in accordance with the German Betriebssicherheitsverordnung. The most important safety instructions shall be shown at the workplace.

In order to have any idea at all which hazards are under consideration, lists of significant hazards to industrial robots are helpful. They can be found in ISO 10218-1:2025, Annex A and ISO 10218-2:2025, Annex A. Most of these hazards can also be applied to humanoid robots. Instructions on how to carry out the risk assessment can be found in the Technical Rules for the German Betriebssicherheitsverordnung, e.g. TRBS 1111. In addition, since the technology is new, it seems essential that manufacturers and users work closely together in the preparation of the risk assessment.

In the following, something special of humanoid robots will be shown.

Even if humanoid robots look human-like, that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. Bumping and clamping people can lead to injuries. The simplest measure to prevent these hazards is the safety fence known from traditional robotics. The access doors shall be secured with interlocking and guard locking according to EN ISO 14119. Access shall only be possible when the robots are in a safe state. This protective measure may seem a little old-fashioned. However, it is obviously the fastest to use and also a most cost-effective and safe measure for testing the still new technology. In view of these benefits, fencing may also remain an option for later use in production.

According to the EC Machinery Directive machinery must be fitted with one or more emergency stop devices to enable actual or impending danger to be averted (emergency stop). Humanoid robots have around 100-180 drive motors, depending on the design. In addition, there are transmissions, joints and other mechanical components. Unlike traditional industrial robots, the drive motors of humanoid robots usually do not have brakes. However, the in other machinery usual category-0-stop and category-1-stop according to EN 60204-1, finalize the emergency stop process with power disconnection. As long as humanoid robots do not have a stable, powerless state, activating E-stop can generate additional hazards, e.g. fall. Hanging at movable rope guides can reduce risks..

Even though the test of humanoid robots still takes place behind safety fences, one would like to know what limits apply to later intentional or unintended contact with humans. Because potential contact shall not result in injuries. At present, there are no special requirements for humanoid robots. Therefore, it seems practicable to first refer to the biomechanical limits for collaborative robots (cobots). The limits for force and pressure can be found in ISO 10218-2:2025, Annex M (formerly ISO/TS 15066).

The limits are to be monitored by force-torque sensors within the humanoid robot. However, it is known from cobot practice that the limits mentioned can usually only be complied with at low speeds. For example, in the event of a risk of clamping, only approach speeds of 250 mm/s or less are usually realistic. In case of bumping, usually less than 500 mm/s. A planned side-by-side of humans and humanoid robots would also have to take these conditions into account.

As with traditional industrial robots, malfunctions cannot be excluded in humanoid robots. This is because the task program or programs are not safety-related. They usually do not meet the PL or SIL required by ISO 10218-1 or -2. Humanoid robots can also twist or move their joints very far, for example 360-degree rotations of the torso. The often-treacherous unpredictability of the robot’s movements, which is known from classic industrial robots, must therefore be given special attention in the case of humanoid robots. Likewise, the robot’s fall on humans is previously unknown, but shall now be considered.

It is not uncommon for the control systems of humanoid robots to be equipped with machine learning (AI) components. If this also affects the safety of the robot, separate approvals apply in accordance with the Machinery Regulation EU 1230, which will apply from 2027. In order to obtain approval of the machines for placing on the market, the manufacturer must contact a testing body notified by the EU Commission. The procedure provides various modules for the manufacturer. The most known is the EU type examination.

Humanoid robots that communicate with data networks can also be the target of cyberattacks. For humanoid robots, protective measures against data misuse and manipulation must therefore also be provided. Corresponding technical requirements can be found in ISO 10218-1:2025 clause 5.1.16.

For robots that need energy to be stable, new ideas and design principles are needed. This is especially relevant for safety. Therefore, a new standardization project was set up in ISO/TC 299 at the beginning of 2025: “Safety requirements for dynamically stable industrial mobile robots (with legs, with wheels or other types of locomotion)”. In the future, humanoid robots will fall under this standard, but also the so-called robot dogs, which have been known for several years. In addition, harmonization under the Machinery Directive is also planned after finalization.

Note: This article is a translation of German websites