by Collaborative robots, commonly known as cobots, are playing an increasingly important role in improving conditions for workers and boosting industrial productivity. In a research project called SOPHIA, conducted by experts from six European countries including Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, cobots have been employed to assist workers in manufacturing. These cobots have been equipped with sensors and machine learning capabilities to analyze workers’ movements and determine whether tasks need to be adjusted or loads need to be redistributed, all without the workers’ awareness. This technology aims to enhance productivity and create a favorable working environment for employees.
According to Dr. Arash Ajoudani, the head of the Human-Robot Interfaces and Interaction laboratory at the Italian Institute of Technology, cobots have the potential to revolutionize the way people work by adapting their operations to suit the needs of individual workers. The SOPHIA project has collaborated with companies such as Volkswagen and Hankamp Gears in the automotive sector to design cobots that complement the work of human laborers. The researchers involved in SOPHIA believe that automation in the manufacturing sector is not a threat to jobs but rather an opportunity for companies and workers. By integrating cobots into workflows, workers can be freed up to focus on more skilled tasks, making them more valuable to employers.
The future of work in the manufacturing sector is centered around the concept of Industry 5.0, a framework introduced by the European Commission. Industry 5.0 emphasizes the integration of humans and emerging technologies to improve both worker well-being and business efficiency. As part of this wider initiative, a separate research project called MindBot explored the role of cobots in increasing worker happiness. Researchers from Belgium, Croatia, Germany, and Italy who specialize in fields ranging from psychology to engineering collaborated on this project. MindBot focused on the psychological concept of “flow,” wherein individuals experience heightened motivation and focus when their skill level matches the task at hand.
To assess the impact of cobots on worker well-being, the MindBot team observed the interaction between cobots and workers across various manufacturing facilities. Questionnaires and observations were used to establish a baseline of physical and mental effort required by workers working alongside cobots. Using the data collected, the researchers simulated realistic shifts and added technological modules to a robotic arm to measure physical fatigue levels of human workers. The cobots were then programmed to adjust their pace to match the workers’ fatigue levels, thus ensuring a more sustainable workload.
In addition to improving worker well-being, the MindBot project also explored ways to integrate autistic individuals into the workforce. By working closely with psychologists, the research team developed guidelines and strategies to help autistic workers adapt to their job environments. This included providing information about tasks step-by-step and addressing any sensitivities related to factors such as noise or bright lights. The team aims to promote manufacturing as a viable employment option for autistic individuals and has submitted employment guidelines to the European Commission for review and potential publication.
The research conducted in projects like SOPHIA and MindBot highlight the potential of cobots in transforming the manufacturing sector. By leveraging technology to create collaborative human-robot systems, companies can enhance working conditions, increase productivity, and better utilize the skills of their workforce. These projects contribute to the advancement of Industry 5.0 and the goal of placing workers at the center of production in the digital and green transformation of the EU manufacturing sector. The findings and methodologies developed in these projects have already been applied in various activities and hold promise for future improvements in workplace conditions.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
