Monitoring system, monitoring device, and monitoring method

A monitoring device that monitors motions of a worker and a robot so that work is performed safely, the monitoring device comprising:

• an area setting unit, configured to set at least one protection area to secure safe work of the worker and the robot in spatial coordinates which are recognizable by at least one three-dimensional detection unit configured to specify positions of the worker and the robot in a three-dimensional space;
• a determination unit, configured to determine whether at least one of the worker and the robot intrudes into the protection area on the basis of the positions of the worker and the robot specified by the three-dimensional detection unit;
• a limiting unit, configured to limit the motion of the robot when the determination unit determines that at least one of the worker and the robot intrudes into the protection area;
• and
• a switching unit, configured to switch the protection area for executing the determination from a plurality of protection areas when the area setting unit sets the plurality of protection areas,
• wherein the area setting unit is configured to set the protection area when the worker works in a common area in which a work area of the worker and a work area of the robot overlap and set the protection area when the robot works in the common area.

A monitoring method of monitoring motions of a worker and a robot so that work is performed safely, the monitoring method comprising:

• setting at least one protection area to secure safe work of the worker and the robot in spatial coordinates which are recognizable by at least one three-dimensional detection unit configured to specify positions of the worker and the robot in a three-dimensional space;
• determining whether at least one of the worker and the robot intrudes into the protection area on the basis of the positions of the worker and the robot specified by the three-dimensional detection unit;
• limiting the motion of the robot when it is determined that at least one of the worker and the robot intrudes into the protection area;
• and
• switching the protection area for executing the determination from a plurality of protection areas when the plurality of protection areas are set,
• wherein the protection area for the worker is set when the worker works in a common area in which a work area of the worker and a work area of the robot overlap and the protection area for the robot is set when the robot works in the common area.