Methodology for Developing Inclusive Social Robots: A User-Centered Design Perspective

This article focuses on the development of robots for labor and social inclusion. These types of projects are complex not only due to their high-tech components but also because of their social, economic, and emotional impact on the people involved. For this reason, this research proposes a design and manufacturing methodology for social robots based on the Industry 5.0 framework. User participation in the robot design stage is essential and is further enhanced by the involvement of stakeholders who provide technical, operational, and medical perspectives. This methodology is applied to two case studies to analyze its benefits and future implementation challenges. As a key result, it is observed that considering the user and integrating these three perspectives in the design process optimizes development time and resource utilization, while also facilitating the robot's implementation in real-world environments.