Adaptive Task Sharing between Humans and Collaborative Robots in a Manufacturing Environment

Abstract

Collaborative robots (referred to as cobots) can have a significant potential impact on manufacturing processes by enabling new task allocation possibilities, resulting in improved economic efficiency and human factors/ergonomics. In this chapter, a method for sharing tasks adaptively between humans and cobots is designed, developed, demonstrated, and evaluated. State-of-the-art task allocation approaches and their shortcomings regarding flexibility and human factors/ergonomics are presented. The three parts of the proposed adaptive task sharing method, i.e., task analysis, assignment, and visualization, are specifically described. Also, case studies are demonstrated, and the obtained results are evaluated. A discussion, conclusion, and the research outlook on human–robot interaction in future manufacturing processes conclude this chapter.