The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work
Collaborative robots (in short: cobots) have the potential to assist workers with physically or cognitive demanding tasks. However, it is crucial to recognize that such assistance can have both positive and negative effects on job quality. A key aspect of human-robot collaboration is the interdepend...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2023.1244656/full |
| _version_ | 1827773397136834560 |
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| author | Wietse van Dijk Saskia J. Baltrusch Ezra Dessers Michiel P. de Looze |
| author_facet | Wietse van Dijk Saskia J. Baltrusch Ezra Dessers Michiel P. de Looze |
| author_sort | Wietse van Dijk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Collaborative robots (in short: cobots) have the potential to assist workers with physically or cognitive demanding tasks. However, it is crucial to recognize that such assistance can have both positive and negative effects on job quality. A key aspect of human-robot collaboration is the interdependence between human and robotic tasks. This interdependence influences the autonomy of the operator and can impact the work pace, potentially leading to a situation where the human’s work pace becomes reliant on that of the robot. Given that autonomy and work pace are essential determinants of job quality, design decisions concerning these factors can greatly influence the overall success of a robot implementation. The impact of autonomy and work pace was systematically examined through an experimental study conducted in an industrial assembly task. 20 participants engaged in collaborative work with a robot under three conditions: human lead (HL), fast-paced robot lead (FRL), and slow-paced robot lead (SRL). Perceived workload was used as a proxy for job quality. To assess the perceived workload associated with each condition was assessed with the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate the role of human autonomy by comparing the perceived workload between HL and FRL conditions, as well as the influence of robot pace by comparing SRL and FRL conditions. The findings revealed a significant correlation between a higher level of human autonomy and a lower perceived workload. Furthermore, a decrease in robot pace was observed to result in a reduction of two specific factors measuring perceived workload, namely cognitive and temporal demand. These results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing human autonomy and appropriately adjusting the robot’s work pace can serve as effective measures for optimizing the perceived workload in collaborative scenarios. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:22:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5409631cc54944faa3584fbd25a76da8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:22:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| spelling | doaj.art-5409631cc54944faa3584fbd25a76da82023-11-03T10:21:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Robotics and AI2296-91442023-11-011010.3389/frobt.2023.12446561244656The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly workWietse van Dijk0Saskia J. Baltrusch1Ezra Dessers2Michiel P. de Looze3Healthy Living, TNO, Leiden, NetherlandsHealthy Living, TNO, Leiden, NetherlandsHIVA, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumHealthy Living, TNO, Leiden, NetherlandsCollaborative robots (in short: cobots) have the potential to assist workers with physically or cognitive demanding tasks. However, it is crucial to recognize that such assistance can have both positive and negative effects on job quality. A key aspect of human-robot collaboration is the interdependence between human and robotic tasks. This interdependence influences the autonomy of the operator and can impact the work pace, potentially leading to a situation where the human’s work pace becomes reliant on that of the robot. Given that autonomy and work pace are essential determinants of job quality, design decisions concerning these factors can greatly influence the overall success of a robot implementation. The impact of autonomy and work pace was systematically examined through an experimental study conducted in an industrial assembly task. 20 participants engaged in collaborative work with a robot under three conditions: human lead (HL), fast-paced robot lead (FRL), and slow-paced robot lead (SRL). Perceived workload was used as a proxy for job quality. To assess the perceived workload associated with each condition was assessed with the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate the role of human autonomy by comparing the perceived workload between HL and FRL conditions, as well as the influence of robot pace by comparing SRL and FRL conditions. The findings revealed a significant correlation between a higher level of human autonomy and a lower perceived workload. Furthermore, a decrease in robot pace was observed to result in a reduction of two specific factors measuring perceived workload, namely cognitive and temporal demand. These results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing human autonomy and appropriately adjusting the robot’s work pace can serve as effective measures for optimizing the perceived workload in collaborative scenarios.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2023.1244656/fullcobotperceived workloadindustrial assembly workautonomywork pacejob quality |
| spellingShingle | Wietse van Dijk Saskia J. Baltrusch Ezra Dessers Michiel P. de Looze The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work Frontiers in Robotics and AI cobot perceived workload industrial assembly work autonomy work pace job quality |
| title | The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work |
| title_full | The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work |
| title_fullStr | The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work |
| title_short | The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work |
| title_sort | effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human robot collaborative assembly work |
| topic | cobot perceived workload industrial assembly work autonomy work pace job quality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2023.1244656/full |
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