Physical Actuation Integrity

The system SHALL demonstrate graceful degradation when primary sensors fail, maintaining safe operation on redundant sensors.

The system SHALL detect sensor noise, degradation, and drift with configurable sensitivity thresholds.

The system SHALL detect actuator misfires, mis-calibration, and unexpected actuation events.

Actuator commands SHALL be validated against expected ranges and rates before execution.

Emergency stop mechanisms SHALL operate independently of software and halt all physical actuation within defined time bounds.

Emergency stop SHALL be accessible through multiple independent physical channels.

The system SHALL demonstrate tolerance to environmental unpredictability including conditions outside the designed operating envelope.

Environmental operating envelope SHALL be documented with defined behavior for out-of-envelope conditions.

Human proximity safeguards SHALL be implemented with configurable safety zones and speed reduction.

Automatic halt SHALL be triggered based on human detection within defined critical proximity zones.

Real-time environmental awareness SHALL be maintained sufficient to detect hazardous conditions.

Redundant safety-critical pathways SHALL ensure no single point of failure in physical safety mechanisms.

The system SHALL demonstrate safe behavior during power loss conditions.

The system SHALL demonstrate safe behavior during communication loss conditions.

The system SHALL demonstrate safe behavior during controller failure conditions.

Physical boundary enforcement SHALL prevent operation outside defined spatial constraints.

Speed and force limiting SHALL be enforced proportional to proximity to humans and sensitive objects.

The system SHALL comply with applicable industry-specific physical safety standards.

Sensor fusion algorithms SHALL be validated for accuracy and reliability under adverse conditions.

Physical calibration status SHALL be monitored with automated alerting for calibration drift.

The system SHALL maintain kinematic and dynamic models accurate to within documented tolerance bounds.

Safety-critical software components SHALL be developed and verified according to IEC 61508 SIL requirements.

The system SHALL implement safe torque-off and safe limited speed functions per relevant safety standards.

Physical interaction forces SHALL be monitored and limited to prevent injury to humans.

The system SHALL detect and respond to unexpected physical contact events within defined time bounds.

Maintenance and inspection schedules SHALL be defined and enforced for all safety-critical physical components.

The system SHALL implement geofencing with configurable boundaries that trigger speed reduction and halt actions.

Physical system telemetry SHALL include sensor health, actuator status, and environmental conditions.

The system SHALL support safe collaborative operation modes where humans and autonomous systems share workspace.

Physical system failure modes SHALL be tested through hardware-in-the-loop simulation where live testing is impractical.