Does the introduction of a cobot change the productivity and posture of the operators in a collaborative task?

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289787
• Publication Date: 2023-08-09T17:37:00Z
• Authors: Kévin Bouillet; Sophie Lemonnier; Fabien Clanche; Gérome Gauchard
• Keywords: Human–robot interaction

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the main occupational diseases and pathologies of multifactorial origin, with posture being one them. This creates new human-robot collaboration situations that can modify operator behaviors performance in their task. These changes raise questions about team health. study aims to understand consequences introducing a cobot on work performance, posture, quality interactions. It also evaluate impact two levels difficulty dual task these measures. For this purpose, thirty-four participants performed an assembly co-worker, either human or articulated arms. In addition motor task, had perform auditory (dual task). They were equipped seventeen motion capture sensors. The collaborative was filmed camera, actions co-worker coded based dichotomy idle activity. Interactions time out, cooperation, collaboration. results showed (number products manufactured) lower when participant collaborated rather than human, less activity time. However, RULA scores lower-indicating reduced risk musculoskeletal disorders-during compared human. Despite decrease production loss fluidity, likely due characteristics cobot, working makes safer terms disorders.