The restrictive space and the operating space always refer to the same space.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not Applicable
• D. Not Sure

Answer: (B)

Operating space is the robot’s movement envelope—the set of positions and orientations the robot can reach during normal operation, defined by its joints, links, and control limits. The restrictive space is a safety boundary designed to keep people out or to require safety systems when hazards could be present. They are not the same thing; one describes what the robot can do, while the other describes where people must not go or must be kept out of unless safeguards are in place.

These spaces can overlap, but they don’t have to. The protective boundary might be larger than the robot’s reach to provide a safe margin, or it might be placed inside the full reach during specialized procedures where additional safeguards are needed. The key idea is that the operating space is about motion capability, whereas the restrictive space is about safety access and controls. Therefore, the statement is false.