Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, North Carolina State University, USA.
Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, North Carolina State University, USA.
Appl Ergon. 2024 Apr;116:104224. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2024.104224. Epub 2024 Jan 5.
Advances in robotics have contributed to the prevalence of human-robot collaboration (HRC). However, working and interacting with collaborative robots in close proximity can be psychologically stressful. Therefore, understanding the impacts of human-robot interaction (HRI) on mental stress is crucial for enhancing workplace well-being. To this end, this study investigated how the HRI factors - presence, complexity, and modality - affect the psychological stress of workers. We employed both the NASA-Task Load Index for subjective assessment and physiological metrics including galvanic skin responses, electromyography, and heart rate for objective evaluation. An experimental setup was implemented in which human operators worked together with a collaborative robot on Lego assembly tasks, using different interaction paradigms including pressing buttons, showing hand gestures, and giving verbal commands. The results revealed that the introduction of interactions during HRC helped reduce mental stress and that complex interactions resulted in higher mental stress than simple interactions. Meanwhile, using hand gestures led to significantly higher mental stress than pressing buttons and verbal commands. The findings provided practical insights for mitigating mental stress in the workplace and promoting wellness in the era of HRC.
机器人技术的进步促进了人机协作(HRC)的普及。然而,在近距离与协作机器人一起工作和交互可能会带来心理压力。因此,了解人机交互(HRI)对精神压力的影响对于提高工作场所的幸福感至关重要。为此,本研究探讨了 HRI 因素——存在感、复杂性和模态——如何影响工人的心理压力。我们既采用了 NASA 任务负荷指数进行主观评估,又使用了包括皮肤电反应、肌电图和心率在内的生理指标进行客观评估。我们实施了一个实验设置,其中人类操作员与协作机器人一起完成乐高组装任务,使用不同的交互范式,包括按下按钮、展示手势和口头命令。结果表明,在 HRC 中引入交互有助于减轻心理压力,而复杂的交互比简单的交互导致更高的心理压力。同时,使用手势比按下按钮和口头命令导致更高的心理压力。这些发现为减轻工作场所的心理压力和在 HRC 时代促进健康提供了实际见解。