Toward adaptive human–robot collaboration for the inclusion of people with disabilities in manual labor tasks

  • While human–robot collaboration is already integrated in industrial and service robotics applications, it is only used with able-bodied workers. However, collaboration through assistive robots is a major driver toward the inclusion of people with disabilities, which was demonstrated in recent research projects. Currently, inclusive robot workplaces have to be customized toward the work process and the individual needs of the person. Within, robots act along a fixed schedule and are not able to adapt to changes within the process or the needs of the interacting person. Hence, such workplaces are expensive and unappealing for companies of the first labor market, and do not realize the full potential of the technology. In this work, we propose a generalized approach toward the inclusion of people with disabilities with collaborative robots. To this end, we propose a system that analyzes the in situ capabilities of a person using a two-stage reasoning approach. The methodology is based onWhile human–robot collaboration is already integrated in industrial and service robotics applications, it is only used with able-bodied workers. However, collaboration through assistive robots is a major driver toward the inclusion of people with disabilities, which was demonstrated in recent research projects. Currently, inclusive robot workplaces have to be customized toward the work process and the individual needs of the person. Within, robots act along a fixed schedule and are not able to adapt to changes within the process or the needs of the interacting person. Hence, such workplaces are expensive and unappealing for companies of the first labor market, and do not realize the full potential of the technology. In this work, we propose a generalized approach toward the inclusion of people with disabilities with collaborative robots. To this end, we propose a system that analyzes the in situ capabilities of a person using a two-stage reasoning approach. The methodology is based on an ontology that allows the matchmaking of individual capabilities with process requirements. Capabilities are modeled in two time frames, through which fast (e.g., fatigue) and slow effects (e.g., worsening of illness) become distinguishable. The matchmaking is used in task allocation to establish high-level control over the assistive system. By this approach, inclusive workplaces become autonomously adaptive to the in situ capabilities of the individual person, without the need for customization. Therefore, collaborative workplaces become not only inclusive, but a contributor toward a labor market for all.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Nils MandischerORCiDGND, Marius Gürtler, Carlo Weidemann, Elodie Hüsing, Stefan-Octavian Bezrucav, Daniel Gossen, Vincent Brünjes, Mathias Hüsing, Burkhard Corves
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1178716
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/117871
ISSN:2079-9292OPAC
Parent Title (English):Electronics
Publisher:MDPI AG
Type:Article
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2023
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2025/01/07
Volume:12
Issue:5
First Page:1118
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12051118
Institutes:Fakultät für Angewandte Informatik
Fakultät für Angewandte Informatik / Institut für Informatik
Fakultät für Angewandte Informatik / Institut für Informatik / Lehrstuhl für Ingenieurinformatik mit Schwerpunkt Mechatronik
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 60 Technik / 600 Technik, Technologie
Licence (German):CC-BY 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung (mit Print on Demand)