Abstract
Collaborative robotics is one of the key enabling technologies of Industry 4.0. Considering the continuous growth of the market, one of the most promising applications of industrial human-robot interaction (HRI) is collaborative assembly. In this context, since prevention from mechanical hazards is justifiably perceived as the primary requirement, cognitive ergonomics and human factors are often overlooked. Cognitive ergonomics should be considered mainly in the design of automated, high-tech, or complex systems. These aspects are strictly related to operators’ safety, well-being, and work-related performance. Consequently, roboticists and companies need to consider cognitive ergonomics to develop human-centred and efficient Collaborative Assembly Systems (CASs). This means that interdisciplinary research in the field is needed. Thus, the current proposal focuses on human factors in industrial HRI and, in particular, proposes developing and validating a new cognitive workload (CWL) assessment method based on improvements of the Cognitive Load Assessment for Manufacturing model (CLAM) initially proposed by Thorvald et al. (2017). The new method, called “ProMentoHR”, would ultimately allow limiting the subjective factors when designing CASs and, most importantly, adequately addressing the CWL of operators and how design elements could influence it. Furthermore, a tool to be used by CAS designers will be developed based on the improved CLAM methodology. This practical tool is intended to be used by non-experts in human factors but by experts in assembly systems, who are the intended primary users. Experimental validation of the model and the related tool will be part of the project activities, ultimately providing practical solutions for integrating cognitive requirements in human-centred CASs. The experimental validation will be based on a case study in a realistic context. Since the project’s start, ProMentoHR has advanced through a structured research plan. A two-round Delphi study involving 14 international experts in industrial HRI, ergonomics, and work psychology has been completed, leading to the refinement and validation of 11 key factors that influence CWL in collaborative assembly systems. Each factor has been operationalised through clear indicators and structured scales, now integrated into a digital tool designed to be practical and accessible to non-experts. The tool enables automatic CWL calculation with adaptable weighting, offering direct guidance for system improvement. ProMentoHR is currently undergoing experimental validation at the Smart Mini Factory lab, using a protocol based on three distinct collaborative assembly workstations with varying configurations and complexity levels. Through controlled manipulation of variables such as work intensity, human-robot communication, robot predictability, and robot adaptability, the project aims to assess the tool’s sensitivity, validity and robustness compared to independent objective and subjective measures. ProMentoHR already stands as an operational and accessible digital method, awaiting final validation results to consolidate its practical applicability within industrial settings.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Marco De Angelis
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari"
Coordinator:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 91.000,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
28/09/2023
End Date:
31/12/2025
