Safe operation of machinery using potential occupancy envelopes

A safety system for enforcing safe operation of machinery performing an activity in a three-dimensional (3D) workspace, the system comprising:

• a computer memory for storing (i) a model of the machinery and its permitted movements and (ii) a safety protocol specifying speed restrictions of the machinery in proximity to a human and a minimum separation distance between the machinery and a human;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• computationally generate, from the stored images, a 3D spatial representation of the workspace;
• map, via a mapping module, a first 3D region of the workspace corresponding to space occupied by the machinery within the workspace augmented by a 3D envelope around the machinery spanning all movements executed by the machinery during performance of the activity;
• map, via the mapping module, a second 3D region of the workspace corresponding to a portion of the first 3D region predictively occupied by the machinery during an interval beginning at a current time;
• identify a third 3D region of the workspace corresponding to space occupied or potentially occupied by a human within the workspace augmented by a 3D envelope around the human corresponding to anticipated movements of the human within the workspace during the interval;
• and
• during physical performance of the activity, restrict operation of the machinery in accordance with the safety protocol based on proximity between the second and third regions.