Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management

This paper presents the results of a research work that aimed at investigating the usage of softbots – as digital intelligent software assistants – as a supporting technology to help in excelling smart production management composed of cyber-physical systems (CPS). This work also attempts to differe...

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Main Authors: Ricardo J. Rabelo, Saulo P. Zambiasi, David Romero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences 2023-03-01
Series:International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijiemjournal.uns.ac.rs/images/journal/volume14/IJIEM_325.pdf
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author Ricardo J. Rabelo
Saulo P. Zambiasi
David Romero
author_facet Ricardo J. Rabelo
Saulo P. Zambiasi
David Romero
author_sort Ricardo J. Rabelo
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents the results of a research work that aimed at investigating the usage of softbots – as digital intelligent software assistants – as a supporting technology to help in excelling smart production management composed of cyber-physical systems (CPS). This work also attempts to differentiate the many equivalent terms used in the literature to softbots, trying to demonstrate that all of them are just types of softbots. Softbots 4.0 acts as a smart humanmachine interface, representing a digital virtual assistant to handle human-related issues when implementing the concept of Operator 4.0. Yet, the concept of Softbot 4.0 is framed against the RAMI 4.0 model in a way to show how it can also be taken as an (intelligent) manufacturing entity. The main goal of Softbots 4.0 is to support the Operator 4.0 in interfacing with smart machines, robots, and systems, aiding people in the automatic, planned or pro-active execution of different, repetitive or complex tasks, efficiently in a more symbiotic human-machine environment. Five different cases have been selected for the assessment, implemented as software prototypes in different production management and shop floor control scenarios close to real CPS. The high potential of the softbots approach could be observed, especially when combined with other enabling technologies for Industry 4.0. A global assessment and reflections on these experiments are discussed at the end.
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spelling doaj.art-e0dc934de66840818636c625e85015962023-03-17T09:47:19ZengUniversity of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical SciencesInternational Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management2217-26612683-345X2023-03-011416393http://doi.org/10.24867/IJIEM-2023-1-325325Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production ManagementRicardo J. Rabelo0Saulo P. Zambiasi1David Romero2UFSC - Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, BrazilUNISUL - University of Southern Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, BrazilTecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, MexicoThis paper presents the results of a research work that aimed at investigating the usage of softbots – as digital intelligent software assistants – as a supporting technology to help in excelling smart production management composed of cyber-physical systems (CPS). This work also attempts to differentiate the many equivalent terms used in the literature to softbots, trying to demonstrate that all of them are just types of softbots. Softbots 4.0 acts as a smart humanmachine interface, representing a digital virtual assistant to handle human-related issues when implementing the concept of Operator 4.0. Yet, the concept of Softbot 4.0 is framed against the RAMI 4.0 model in a way to show how it can also be taken as an (intelligent) manufacturing entity. The main goal of Softbots 4.0 is to support the Operator 4.0 in interfacing with smart machines, robots, and systems, aiding people in the automatic, planned or pro-active execution of different, repetitive or complex tasks, efficiently in a more symbiotic human-machine environment. Five different cases have been selected for the assessment, implemented as software prototypes in different production management and shop floor control scenarios close to real CPS. The high potential of the softbots approach could be observed, especially when combined with other enabling technologies for Industry 4.0. A global assessment and reflections on these experiments are discussed at the end.http://www.ijiemjournal.uns.ac.rs/images/journal/volume14/IJIEM_325.pdfindustry 4.0operator 4.0softbotsproduction managementshop floor controlsocial cyber-physical systemssmart factories
spellingShingle Ricardo J. Rabelo
Saulo P. Zambiasi
David Romero
Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management
industry 4.0
operator 4.0
softbots
production management
shop floor control
social cyber-physical systems
smart factories
title Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
title_full Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
title_fullStr Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
title_full_unstemmed Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
title_short Softbots 4.0: Supporting Cyber-Physical Social Systems in Smart Production Management
title_sort softbots 4 0 supporting cyber physical social systems in smart production management
topic industry 4.0
operator 4.0
softbots
production management
shop floor control
social cyber-physical systems
smart factories
url http://www.ijiemjournal.uns.ac.rs/images/journal/volume14/IJIEM_325.pdf
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AT saulopzambiasi softbots40supportingcyberphysicalsocialsystemsinsmartproductionmanagement
AT davidromero softbots40supportingcyberphysicalsocialsystemsinsmartproductionmanagement