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Skild Robotics Operations

Safety

Scope

Robot-agnostic safety practices when operating in public environments: public interaction, child / pet awareness, hazards, accessibility, security cooperation, and physical handling.

Purpose

Safety first. Job second. Social engagement third. Enjoy interactions — but never at the cost of situational awareness. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III "Priority Order"]

Top priorities (every shift)

  1. Maintain positive control at all times. The operator is the safety system. Autonomy is a tool, not a substitute for human oversight. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III Rule 4]
  2. Operator within immediate physical reach of the robot whenever it is powered on (GO2 — within arm’s reach; Vega — directly behind the robot per the blindspot rule).
  3. Localization confidence first. Never allow a poorly-localized robot to continue autonomous navigation. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III Rule 1]

Public interaction

Public curiosity is expected and welcome — the robot draws attention. The risk is distraction: every moment of divided attention is a moment where localization loss, a collision, or a thermal event can go unnoticed. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III "Public Interaction"]

  • If approached, ensure the robot is in a safe, stable position before engaging.
  • Keep interactions short. A useful default: “He’s a robo puppy, but I have to keep an eye on him.”
  • Physically decline any attempt to touch or interact with the robot — politely but firmly.
  • Any attempt by the public to touch, grab, ride, or obstruct the robot must be declined without ambiguity. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III "Operator Responsibilities"]

Children

  • Children are drawn to the robot and will approach without warning.
  • They are low to the ground, fast, and unpredictable.
  • The robot may not detect or avoid a child the way it would an adult-sized obstacle.
  • When children approach: pause or sit the robot. Allow the moment to pass, then resume.
  • Never assume a child will maintain a safe distance. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Children"]

Service animals & pets

  • Dogs may react aggressively — barking, lunging, pulling their handler toward the robot.
  • If an animal is ahead on the path, slow or pause the robot and allow them to pass.
  • Do not force the robot past an agitated animal. Wait or reroute. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Service Animals & Pets"]

Wet & slippery surfaces

  • Spills, freshly mopped floors, tracked-in moisture → unpredictable traction.
  • Avoid routing through wet areas. If unavoidable, teleoperate slowly through the section.
  • If active cleaning is underway, wait for the surface to dry or select an alternate route. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Wet & Slippery Surfaces"]

Narrow spaces & bottlenecks

  • Hallways, doorways, and congested corridors → elevated collision and localization risk.
  • Do not route through any space without adequate clearance on both sides.
  • If a path is too narrow or too crowded, teleop manually or hold until conditions improve.
  • When creating routes, position waypoints away from known chokepoints. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Narrow Spaces & Bottlenecks"]

Loss of connection during operation

  • If connectivity drops during autonomous navigation, the robot may continue its last command or halt in place.
  • Maintain sufficient physical proximity to intervene via E-Stop if connection is lost.
  • If connection drops: move closer to the robot, attempt reconnection via the tablet.
  • If reconnection fails: engage the physical E-Stop, then troubleshoot (dongle, WiFi, restart). [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Loss of Connection During Operation"]

Security & law enforcement

  • Cooperate fully and respond straightforwardly.
  • You are authorized to operate in the designated area. Explain briefly and offer to connect them with management.
  • Sit the robot during the conversation to prevent it from navigating away. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Security & Law Enforcement"]

Accessibility compliance

  • Never obstruct wheelchair paths, accessible ramps, or doorways.
  • When operating near accessibility routes, maintain additional clearance and be prepared to relocate the robot immediately. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §IV "Accessibility Compliance"]

Physical handling

Approved methods to pick up the robot

The robot must be stationary before any physical handling.

  1. Method 1 — Fold and Lift. Squeeze legs together. Bend them upward until perpendicular to the ground. Lift by the body.
  2. Method 2 — Direct Lift. Grip the body, lift in current position. Keep fingers clear of leg/body joints.
  3. Repositioning by dragging. The robot can be physically pulled to a new position. Rarely necessary but available. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §V "Picking Up & Carrying the Robot"]

Finger pinch hazard

Leg joints create a pinch point where they meet the body. Exercise deliberate awareness of finger placement during all physical handling. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §V]

  • Power off or sit the robot before lifting.
  • Use two operators when necessary — do not risk a drop.
  • When setting the robot down, place it on a flat surface with all four legs pinched together and uniformly positioned.

Response to falls or tip-overs

  1. Engage the E-Stop immediately.
  2. Do not attempt to right the robot while powered and active.
  3. Once E-Stopped, carefully reposition on a flat surface with proper leg alignment.
  4. Before powering back on: inspect for visible damage, verify cable connections, confirm LiDAR is flush and clean, check camera positions.
  5. Submit an Incident Report before resuming operations. See /general/incident-response/.

A fall can displace internal cable connections that are not visible externally. Always inspect before restarting. If anything appears abnormal, report it and do not resume until cleared. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §V "Post-Impact Inspection Is Mandatory"]

Default-to-software stops

When stopping is required:

  • Localization lost (map position diverges at a known landmark) → Kill Task / Terminate Tasks. Drive to landmark, sit, reset pose, resume.
  • Hesitating in a safe area → wait. The tracer may update on its own.
  • Visual lag but landmarks still match → do not intervene; visual lag is not lost localization.
  • Need manual control without killing the goal → Teleop (or Manual Teleop for keyboard).
  • Dramatic hazard (fallen, upside-down, on side, legs kicking) → physical E-Stop. Approach with caution — moving legs can injure.

Whenever possible, stop the robot from a distance. Approaching a thrashing robot to hit the physical E-Stop is a last resort, not a first response. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §"Default to Software Stops"]

Operator self-care

  • If hand, wrist, forearm, or grip feels strained (especially with PortalCam scans): pause.
  • Fatigue increases the risk of loss of grip, poor handling, or avoidable damage.
  • A short pause is better than pushing through with reduced control. [SOURCE: WEB Portal Scan §"Safety"]

Manual-override decision

Operators should not wait for a system failure to take control. If a situation appears to be developing — crowd forming, an approaching obstacle, a tightening corridor — take control proactively. A precautionary override is always preferable to a reactive one. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §XVII "Manual Override & Intervention"]

Source notes

  • [SOURCE: GO2_Standard_Operating_Procedure_V3.docx] — §III (Operator Responsibilities + Public Interaction), §IV (Field Awareness), §V (Physical Handling), §XV (Teleop safety net), §XVII (Manual Override), §“When to Stop the Robot — Decision Guide”.
  • [SOURCE: GO2_Standard_Operating_Procedure_ABM.docx] (April 2026, Tyler Kugima) — §I “5 Rules”, §IV Field Awareness, §V Physical Handling. Authoritative for ABM-LGA.
  • [SOURCE: WEB Portal Scan SOP V2] — operator-self-care guidance for portal-cam carry.