Debunking the Headine - "Tesla Robot Attacks Engineer"

[BobLfoot 302]

Let me start off by saying that I have 36 plus year of experience with Industrial Automation and Robotics and take great exception to the sensationalism expressed in these headlines.  Please allow me to rant and hopefully save another young engineer from a similiar mishap.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/robot-attacked-tesla-engineer-at-texas-factory

https://nypost.com/2023/12/26/business/tesla-factory-worker-attacked-by-robot-which-dug-claws-into-back-arm/

Websters tells us that an attack is "a belligerent or antagonistic action".  Such action is by definition not possible by a non-sentient piece of automation equipment.

The American Industry Standard for Robotics has been ANSI-RIA 15.06 and it clearly states that anyone entering the working envelope of a robot must posess the Teach Pendant or Alternate Disconnect Means at all times.  

Now reading the articles it appears that this was a multi-robot cell as the "engineer was programming two other robots in the cell."  Thus if his work did not involve the Third Robot it should have been under Lockout-Tagout_Try per OSHA 1910.147.  Had that been the case this catastrophe would not ahve occurrred.   If the Third Robot needed to be under power then it's pendant or disconnect should have been in the control of the Enginner and the 3rd robot limited to slow speed allowing for stopping when the errant action occurred.

There is another possibility I would mention, something malfunctioned in the controls design and the safeties the Engineer thought he had, did not operate as intended.  The designer in this case will need to explain what happened.

In closing , let me point out this incident occurred in 2021 and this is 2023 almost 2024 and we're just hearing about it.  If the Industry really wants to get better we'll "Fail Forward" and teach other robot users what actually went wrong here and make sure others don't have the same mishap.  That Mr. Musk would be a world class response. 

[IO_Rack 181]

I felt the same Bob as I read the headlines. Especially with the photos of the humanoid robots. So misleading and misinformative to those that don't know industrial robots, or the dangers.

I hate to sound pessimistic, but this type of reporting has become normal our society.... in all genres of news.

1 hour ago, BobLfoot said:

If the Industry really wants to get better we'll "Fail Forward" and teach other robot users what actually went wrong here and make sure others don't have the same mishap.

This is what the news is supposed to be doing. The fact that is it so late in reporting tells me there is some agenda here. I'm sure there is more to the story about corrective actions and preventative measures that we won't hear or read about.

[BobLfoot 302]

I'll just add that when I had new apprentices to train about robots, I'd go to our biggest robot and while moving it in teach mode I'd say, "This robot will not hurt you, I guarantee you won't feel a thing as it seperates your head from your shoulders.  After all take not of the 10 Inch I-Beam dent it made the other day when it took a break from working."  "Don't fear the robot, but don't disrespect it, either".

[DanW 41]

Thanks for the comments.  I have no exposure to robots and wondered what the real story was.

[Crossbow 295]

The media's sole purpose is to sensationalize and scare.  Years ago, back when people like Walter Kronkite were alive, they reported the news.  Now everyone has to be the first to report even if they have nothing to report, and they are all about giving each other awards.  They have no reason whatsoever to actually give truth anymore.  And if they do get caught, the retraction is done so quietly that nobody sees it, so the lie persists.

And the sheeple believe every word of it, without even so much as a fact check.

The Tesla issue is 100% verifiable human error.  Someone did not follow proper lock out tag out procedures.  Safety systems are designed to prevent these types of accidents, but some people just do not follow directions.  No robots attacked anything.  But that doesn't make the news media any advertising revenue.  And let's face it, if it was anywhere other than Tesla we wouldn't hear about it...