Human-Robot Interaction

Sahyoun, Vincent, Jelena Petronijevic, Alain Etienne, Bettina-Johanna Krings, António B. Moniz, and Ali Siadat. "The relation between cognitive and organizational factors in the production environment." IFAC PapersOnLine 58 (2024): 1030-1035. Abstractcognitive_and_organizational_factors_ifac24.pdfWebsite

The adoption of I4.0’s technologies in the work cells accompanied by societal changes calls for new approaches to manage the current production systems. Nevertheless, the current models simulating the behavior of the work cells limit the representation of the operators to the average human, without regard for their individual characteristics, cognitive abilities or psychosocial state. The aim of this paper is to achieve two objectives: firstly, the authors propose a conceptual model for enhancing a human-centered production environment. Secondly, the paper summarizes how the literature characterizes the different dimensions of relations between cognitive and organizational factors. By integrating the collaborative, psychological, social, cognitive, organizational and system performance dimensions, the proposed model focuses on the relationships between these dimensions. Thus, operational models should be closer to the real production environment to improve the design choices of the manufacturing systems.

Buciuniene, Ilona, Bernadeta Goštautaitė, António B. Moniz, and Irina Liubertė. "Hiring robots: How HRM shapes the development of human capital." In 36th Workshop on Strategic Human Resource Management. online: European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management, 2021.programme_may_27-28_2021_eism.pdf
Krings, Bettina-Johanna, António B. Moniz, and Philipp Frey. "Technology as enabler of the automation of work? Current societal challenges for a future perspective of work." Revista Brasileira de Sociologia 9 (2021): 206-229. Abstract806-1705-1-pb_revbrassociologia.pdfWebsite

Due to the innovative possibilities of digital technologies, the issue of increasing automation is once again on the agenda – and not only in the industry, but also in other branches and sectors of contemporary societies. Although public and scientific discussions about automation seem to raise relevant questions of the “old” debate, such as the replacement of human labor by introducing new technologies, the authors focus here on the new contextual quality of these questions. The debate should rethink the relationship between technology and work with regard to quantitative and qualitative changes in work. In this article, our example will be the introduction of automation in industry, which has been reflected in the widely recognized study by Frey and Osborne in 2013. They estimated the expected impacts of future computerization on US labor market outcomes as very high, specifically regarding the number of jobs at risk. Surprisingly, this study was the starting point of an intensive international debate on the impact of technologies on the future of work and the role of technological change in working environments. Thus, according to the authors, “old” questions remain important, but they should be reinterpreted for “new” societal demands and expectations of future models of work.

Brandao Moniz, António, and Bettina-Johanna Krings. "Social conditions of human-machine interaction: decision, control, qualilification." In Kolloquium at Weizenbaum Institute (2019). Berlin: Weizenbaum Institute, WZB, 2019. Abstract

Due to the ongoing technical advancements in robotics, new organizational and occupational impacts are expected in different sectors. The contribution of António Moniz and Bettina-Johanna Krings focuses on the social conditions under which technology is embedded into production processes. Thus, social distribution processes, demographic change, sustainability becomes more and more important when reflecting about "technology futures".
In particular they will ask:
How does automation change work & working conditions?
Which expectations on technology are strengthen-ing the concepts of work?
Which regulations and ethics principles must be considered (safety, autonomy, control)?
Which new competences and qualification dimen-sions will be raised for non-routine tasks in auto-mated environments?
Which new types of human-machine interaction can be developed with increased cyber-physical system application at the shopfloor?

Brandao Moniz, António. "Emerging problems of human-machine interaction and innovative solutions." In Séminaire CRAN-Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy. Nancy: Université de Nancy, 2019.
Brandao Moniz, António. "Occupation safety in automated environments: needs and consequences." In International Symposium on Occupational Safety and Hygiene (SHO 2019). Guimarães: University of Minho, 2019.programa-sho2019-bw-para-a5_vnc-1.pdf
Moniz, António B. Robótica e Trabalho: o futuro hoje (Robotics and Work: The future today). Lisbon: Glaciar Ed., 2018. AbstractWebsite

Approaching the topic of robotics-work relation in a general and international context enables the possibility to know more about the impacts in different sectors. In this book the main discussion themes are followed in order to understand which the main dimensions are included in such debate. In that way, it becomes possible to understand the possible answers and available alternatives.
The book follows the themes of relation between employment and technology, the automation as rationalization process and robotics as a technology reference. The other topics are the emergence of ethical, legal and social aspects of this technology, the development that can be perceived in the case of Portugal, and the conclusions about the limits and perspectives of new robotic developments.
This edition has empirical information on the Portuguese case and also includes data from the main resources of the global debate on this issue: the new developments of automation and its relation with the work content and employment.
The author underlined the importance of the contribute that he got from the discussions at the ITAS Working Group on Robotics Technology Assessment, and at the ITAS Research Group on Technology and Work, in Germany, and at the Observatory of Technology Assessment at CICS.NOVA in Portugal. The book is include in a series supported by the Portuguese-American Foundation for Development (FLAD) and was published by Glaciar.

Fischer, Martin, Bettina Krings, António Moniz, and Eike Zimpelmann. "Herausforderungen der Mensch-Roboter-Kollaboration." Lernen & Lehren 32 (2017): 8-14. AbstractWebsite

Die Ausweitung von Robotertechnologien nicht nur in der Industrie, sondern zunehmend auch in Dienstleistungsbereiche, stellt große Herausforderungen an die Mensch-Roboter-Kollaboration. Der Artikel beleuchtet psychologische, soziologische, arbeitswissenschaftliche und berufspädagogische Gesichtspunkte bei der Gestaltung und dem Einsatz von Robotern in Produktion und Service. Zu diesem Zweck werden zunächst spezifische Merkmale der Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion dargestellt, um anschließend Prinzipien der Funktionsteilung zwischen Menschen und Robotern in Arbeitssystemen des Produktions- und Servicebereichs zu diskutieren. Zu berücksichtigen sind hier die Organisation gesellschaftlicher Arbeit, die spezifischen Arbeitsaufgaben sowie die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der informationstechnischen Realisierung solcher Aufgaben. Der Artikel endet mit dem Plädoyer, bei der Entwicklung und Anwendung von Robotern arbeitswissenschaftliche Kriterien mit Ansätzen partizipativer Technikgestaltung zu kombinieren.

Moniz, António. "Intuitive Interaction Between Humans and Robots in Work Functions at Industrial Environments: The Role of Social Robotics." In Social Robots from a Human Perspective, edited by Jane Vincent, Sakari Taipale, Bartolomeo Sapio, Giuseppe Lugano and Leopoldina Fortunati, 67-76. Heidelberg: Springer, 2015.