Human-Robot Collaboration With a Corrective Shared Controlled Robot in a Sanding Task

Area of Science:

• Human-robot interaction
• Manufacturing technology
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Manual sanding presents significant physical demands.
• Collaborative robots (cobots) offer potential for reducing physical stress in manufacturing.
• Corrective Shared Control (CSC) enables semi-autonomous robot operation with human real-time input, addressing challenges in fully autonomous systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate physical and cognitive workloads and performance in a corrective shared control (CSC) human-robot collaborative (HRC) sanding task.
• To compare CSC HRC sanding with manual sanding and fully automated sanding.

Main Methods:

• Twenty participants performed paint removal using an orbital sander under manual, CSC robot-assisted, and fully automated conditions.
• Subjective discomfort, muscle fatigue (EMG), and cognitive workload (NASA-TLX) were measured.
• Sanding performance was assessed using digital imaging for uniformity and quantity.

Main Results:

• CSC significantly reduced subjective discomfort across multiple body regions compared to manual sanding.
• Manual sanding led to higher composite cognitive workload, while CSC increased mental demand.
• EMG data indicated reduced muscle fatigue with the CSC robot.
• The CSC robot achieved superior sanding uniformity and quantity compared to the fully automated condition.

Conclusions:

• Human skills are effectively integrated into HRC systems through CSC, enhancing sanding tasks.
• CSC HRC results in reduced physical fatigue and discomfort for human operators.
• Findings can inform the design and implementation of future HRC systems in manufacturing.