A socio-technical approach for assistants in human-robot collaboration in industry 4.0

The introduction of technologies disruptive of Industry 4.0 in the workplace integrated through human cyber-physical systems causes operators to face new challenges. These are reflected in the increased demands presented in the operator's capabilities physical, sensory, and cognitive demands. In this research, cognitive demands are the most interesting. In this perspective, assistants are presented as a possible solution, not as a tool but as a set of functions that amplify human capabilities, such as exoskeletons, collaborative robots for physical capabilities, virtual and augmented reality for sensory capabilities. Perhaps chatbots and softbots for cognitive capabilities, then the need arises to ask ourselves: How can operator assistance systems 4.0 be developed in the context of industrial manufacturing? In which capacities does the operator need more assistance? From the current paradigm of systematization, different approaches are used within the context of the workspace in industry 4.0. Thus, the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) is used to model the workspace from the sociotechnical system approach, where the relationships between the components are the most important among the functions to be developed by the human-robot team. With the use of simulators for both robots and robotic systems, the behavior of the variability of the human-robot team is analyzed. Furthermore, from the perspective of cognitive systems engineering, the workspace can be studied as a joint cognitive system, where cognition is understood as distributed, in a symbiotic relationship between the human and technological agents. The implementation of a case study as a human-robot collaborative workspace allows evaluating the performance of the human-robot team, the impact on the operator's cognitive abilities, and the level of collaboration achieved in the human-robot team through a set of metrics and proven methods in other areas, such as cognitive systems engineering, human-machine interaction, and ergonomics. We conclude by discussing the findings and outlook regarding future research questions and possible developments.La introducción de tecnologías disruptivas de Industria 4.0 en el lugar de trabajo integradas a través de sistemas ciberfísicos humanos hace que los operadores enfrenten nuevos desafíos. Estos se reflejan en el aumento de las demandas presentadas en las capacidades físicas, sensoriales y cognitivas del operador. En esta investigación, las demandas cognitivas son las más interesantes. En esta perspectiva, los asistentes se presentan como una posible solución, no como una herramienta sino como un conjunto de funciones que amplifican las capacidades humanas, como exoesqueletos, robots colaborativos para capacidades físicas, realidad virtual y aumentada para capacidades sensoriales. Quizás chatbots y softbots para capacidades cognitivas, entonces surge la necesidad de preguntarnos: ¿Cómo se pueden desarrollar los sistemas de asistencia al operador 4.0 en el contexto de la fabricación industrial? ¿En qué capacidades el operador necesita más asistencia? A partir del paradigma actual de sistematización, se utilizan diferentes enfoques dentro del contexto del espacio de trabajo en la industria 4.0. Así, se utiliza el método de análisis de resonancia funcional (FRAM) para modelar el espacio de trabajo desde el enfoque del sistema sociotécnico, donde las relaciones entre los componentes son las más importantes entre las funciones a desarrollar por el equipo humano-robot. Con el uso de simuladores tanto para robots como para sistemas robóticos se analiza el comportamiento de la variabilidad del equipo humano-robot. Además, desde la perspectiva de la ingeniería de sistemas cognitivos, el espacio de trabajo puede ser estudiado como un sistema cognitivo conjunto, donde la cognición se entiende distribuida, en una relación simbiótica entre los agentes humanos y tecnológicos. La implementación de un caso de estudio como un espacio de trabajo colaborativo humano-robot permite evaluar el desempeño del equipo humano-robot, el impacto en las habilidades cognitivas del operador y el nivel de colaboración alcanzado en el equipo humano-robot a través de un conjunto de métricas y métodos probados en otras áreas, como la ingeniería de sistemas cognitivos, la interacción hombre-máquina y la ergonomía. Concluimos discutiendo los hallazgos y las perspectivas con respecto a futuras preguntas de investigación y posibles desarrollos.Postprint (published version

Excuse Me, Something Is Unfair! - Implications of Perceived Fairness of Service Robots

Fairness is an important aspect for individuals and teams. This also applies for human-robot interaction (HRI). Especially if intelligent robots provide services to multiple humans, humans may feel treated unfairly by robots. Most work in this area deals with the aspects of fair algorithms, task allocation and decision support. This work focuses on a different, yet little explored perspective, which looks at fairness in HRI from a human-centered perspective in human-robot teams. We present an experiment in which a service robot was responsible for distributing resources among competing team members. We investigated how different strategies of distribution influence the perceived fairness and the perception of the robot. Our study shows that humans might perceive technically efficient algorithms as unfair, especially if humans personally experience negative consequences. This also had negative impact on human perception of the robot, which should be considered in the design of future robots

Towards a socio cognitive perspective of presenteeism, leadership and the rise of robotic Interventions in the workplace

This thesis intends to investigate the relationship between the presenteeism phenomenon and the leadership construct, by analyzing a new concept in the literature, leadership presenteeism. Second, it explores robotic leadership and the impact of human-leadership styles in teams headed by social robots. Third, it investigates the role of robots as health-promoting agents within workplaces, contributing to workers’ improvements in a set of organizational variables. The thesis includes seven empirical studies, divided in four papers. Paper 1 findings suggest that individuals perceive themselves as less productive when they work with a leader with a psychological or contagious illness. Paper 2 reveals that robots can properly perform leadership roles while leading human teams, and achieve the same organizational outcomes as human leaders. Moreover, robots performing both transformational and transactional leadership styles can impact positively different organizational outcomes. In paper 3 a robot was used as a health behavior promoting agent in a single-arm intervention, with two assessment points in time. Results showed that the intervention with the robot enabled to improve a set of psychological health behavior constructs. Finally, paper 4 aimed to compare the health behavior change intervention between two groups: one guided by a robotic agent and the other by a human agent. Results showed that the intervention with the robot agent was associated with improvements in individuals’ productivity despite presenteeism and well-being levels. This thesis contributes to the understanding of the relationship between presenteeism and leadership constructs, while seeks also to contribute and extend SCT and HAPA theoretical framework.A presente tese pretende analisar a relação entre o fenómeno do presentismo e o construto de liderança, através da análise de um novo conceito na literatura, a liderança de presentismo. Em segundo lugar, explora a liderança robótica e o impacto dos estilos de liderança humana em equipas lideradas por robôs. Terceiro, investiga o papel dos robôs como agentes promotores da saúde nos locais de trabalho, contribuindo para a melhoria de um conjunto de variáveis organizacionais. A tese inclui sete estudos empíricos, divididos em quatro artigos. Os resultados do artigo 1 sugerem que os indivíduos se consideram menos produtivos quando trabalham com um líder com uma doença psicológica ou contagiosa. O artigo 2 revela que os robôs podem desempenhar corretamente papéis de liderança em equipas humanas, alcançando os mesmos resultados organizacionais que os líderes humanos. Além disso, os robôs podem desempenhar tanto estilos de liderança transformacional como transacional, com impactos positivos em diversos resultados organizacionais. No artigo 3 foi utilizado um robô como agente promotor de comportamentos de saúde. Os resultados mostraram que a intervenção permitiu melhorar um conjunto de variáveis ligadas a comportamentos psicológicos de saúde. Finalmente, o artigo 4 visou comparar a mesma intervenção entre dois grupos: um guiado por um agente robótico e o outro por um agente humano. Os resultados mostraram que a intervenção com o agente robô esteve associada a melhorias na produtividade dos indivíduos e nos respetivos níveis de bem-estar. Esta tese contribui para a compreensão da relação entre o presentismo e a liderança, ao mesmo tempo que procura também contribuir e alargar o quadro teórico da SCT e do modelo HAPA

Trust in Robots

Robots are increasingly becoming prevalent in our daily lives within our living or working spaces. We hope that robots will take up tedious, mundane or dirty chores and make our lives more comfortable, easy and enjoyable by providing companionship and care. However, robots may pose a threat to human privacy, safety and autonomy; therefore, it is necessary to have constant control over the developing technology to ensure the benevolent intentions and safety of autonomous systems. Building trust in (autonomous) robotic systems is thus necessary. The title of this book highlights this challenge: “Trust in robots—Trusting robots”. Herein, various notions and research areas associated with robots are unified. The theme “Trust in robots” addresses the development of technology that is trustworthy for users; “Trusting robots” focuses on building a trusting relationship with robots, furthering previous research. These themes and topics are at the core of the PhD program “Trust Robots” at TU Wien, Austria

Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197

Virtual Reality

At present, the virtual reality has impact on information organization and management and even changes design principle of information systems, which will make it adapt to application requirements. The book aims to provide a broader perspective of virtual reality on development and application. First part of the book is named as "virtual reality visualization and vision" and includes new developments in virtual reality visualization of 3D scenarios, virtual reality and vision, high fidelity immersive virtual reality included tracking, rendering and display subsystems. The second part named as "virtual reality in robot technology" brings forth applications of virtual reality in remote rehabilitation robot-based rehabilitation evaluation method and multi-legged robot adaptive walking in unstructured terrains. The third part, named as "industrial and construction applications" is about the product design, space industry, building information modeling, construction and maintenance by virtual reality, and so on. And the last part, which is named as "culture and life of human" describes applications of culture life and multimedia-technology