Method for controlling a robot, in particular an industrial robot, and device for controlling the robot

The invention relates to a method and device for controlling a robot. An area up to 360 degrees around the robot (10) should be divided into surface areas (12). The surface areas (12) are components of a coordinate system of the robot (10), the surface areas (12) each comprising at least one surface element (14) and each surface element (14) being weighted with at least one protective field information. A coordinate system is then to be calibrated by a scanning device (16) with the coordinate system of the robot (10). The scanning device (16) is then aligned in order to be able to scan the respective surface areas (12) completely. The respective at least one protective field information with which a respective surface element (14) is weighted is made available to the scanning device (16).It is then provided that the surface areas (12) are monitored by means of the scanning device (16), in particular whether an undesired event takes place in at least one of the surface areas (12). At least one specific securit