Synthesizing least-limiting guidelines for safety of semi-autonomous systems

TL;DR

This paper introduces a systematic method for generating least-limiting safety guidelines for semi-autonomous systems, ensuring minimal restriction on human operators while maintaining safety through game-theoretic algorithms.

Contribution

It proposes a novel algorithm to synthesize least-limiting safety guidelines for semi-autonomous systems using 2-player turn-based game concepts.

Findings

Successfully generates minimal restriction safety guidelines.

Ensures safety in worst-case long-term system executions.

Applicable to systems requiring human-autonomous collaboration.

Abstract

We consider the problem of synthesizing safe-by-design control strategies for semi-autonomous systems. Our aim is to address situations when safety cannot be guaranteed solely by the autonomous, controllable part of the system and a certain level of collaboration is needed from the uncontrollable part, such as the human operator. In this paper, we propose a systematic solution to generating least-limiting guidelines, i.e. the guidelines that restrict the human operator as little as possible in the worst-case long-term system executions. The algorithm leverages ideas from 2-player turn-based games.