Stress Factors in Human-Robot Collaboration: Investigating Speed, Robot Density, and Orientation

In this pilot study, we explore the impact of collaborative robots (cobots) on human-robot collaboration from a human factors perspective. While the introduction of cobots in Industry 4.0 has brought increased productivity, safety, and flexibility to the shop floor, it has also raised concerns about stress and mental workload for human operators due to their close proximity and high speeds. Our investigation involved eight interaction sessions, varying speeds, robot quantity (one or two), and robot orientation (left or right side). We collected and analyzed data, including electrodermal activity and self-reported feedback, from six angles, such as speed versus robot quantity and speed versus orientation. Notably, our findings revealed that increased robot density is associated with higher attention levels and lower skin conductance response (SCR) amplitudes. Additionally, the presence of multiple robots is linked to increased attention and reduced SCR amplitudes, suggesting that configuring factories with multiple robots could boost productivity while mitigating stress related to high speeds.