Virtual Human-Robot Collaboration: The Industry’s Perspective on Potential Applications and Benefits

Abstract

Two keystones of Industry 4.0 are the increased use of autonomous robots and advanced simulation software. Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) combines the strengths of humans and robots, opening up application areas that previously could not be automated. However, the realization of HRC on industrial shop floors is held back by several challenges: safety, trust, the need for intuitive interfaces, and design methods. This study investigates the automotive industry’s perspective on relevant application areas and potential benefits of HRC. The data were collected through a survey of 185 participants from a variety of working roles in the automotive industry. The results of the study indicate that participants from the automotive industry consider that the areas best suited to the implementation of collaborative robots are material handling, assembly, and quality control, with potential benefits in ergonomics, efficiency, and quality. The results can be used for the development of a future virtual HRC simulation model.