Ben Twombly is the Founder of Critical Systems Analysis and a Senior Safety Engineer specializing in functional safety and risk management for complex, safety-critical systems. With nearly a decade of experience, he has led safety management, risk assessment, validation, and analysis across industries including earth-moving equipment, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and advanced agriculture. He holds dual certifications: Functional Safety Engineer (TÜV Rheinland) and Industrial Functional Safety Professional (SGS-TÜV), with expertise in IEC 61508 and ISO 26262. Ben is known for bridging engineering design and safety requirements, helping teams deliver compliant, reliable, and innovative systems.
As AI becomes increasingly central to the development of humanoids, the demand for rigorous safety frameworks grows more urgent. This presentation examines how traditional functional safety principles, particularly those outlined in IEC 61508, can provide a foundation for the safe integration of AI in humanoids, while highlighting where conventional methods fall short. Drawing from deep expertise in functional safety, this talk explores the intersection of time-tested safety practices and the unique demands of AI-driven humanoids. We’ll assess how core concepts like Safety Integrity Levels (SILs), hazard analysis, and systematic failure handling apply to human-robot interaction, adaptive learning, and unpredictable environments. Attendees will gain insight into both the continuity and the evolution of safety thinking as it adapts to intelligent, human-like machines operating in dynamic, real-world contexts.
