Fear of Fences: Why Robot Safety Isn’t About Removing Barriers

Roberta Nelson Shea challenges a common misconception in modern automation—the idea that safer robots mean removing physical barriers. In this clip, she unpacks what she calls “Foof”—Fear of Fences—and explains why keeping people and machines safely separated is still the simplest, most effective protection.
She also clarifies what truly makes a robot “collaborative,” why payload and mass matter, and how smart safety design balances innovation with human wellbeing.

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