Human-centric human-robot collaboration

With recent advancements in industrial robotics, the rise of reconfigurable collaborative work cells where humans and robots can work in close proximity has become more apparent. This setting enables the utilization of both humans’ and robots’ skills and assets to create flexible manufacturing systems capable of producing high variability products. However, poor integration between humans and robots can lead to lower productivity and higher worker stress unless human wellness is constantly monitored and optimized. This research aims to advance the current theories of Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) to maximize manufacturing productivity and human wellness by defining, monitoring, and optimizing human fatigue levels during dynamic human-robot task allocation. New methods will be developed to optimize human wellness and manage contingencies by allocating resources based on real-time task progress and human fatigue levels. This research’s success will lead to a greater understanding of collaborative work cells in unstructured manufacturing settings.

Publications