Advances in Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) in Construction 5.0 for building construction: A bibliometric and systematic literature review

Construction, characterized by its inherent risks, demands innovative solutions to ensure the safety and efficiency of processes. Human-robot collaboration (HRC) emerges as a promising alternative in this context, especially within the framework of Construction 5.0. However, existing research presents gaps in the comprehensive understanding of the advances and future potential of this synergy. This study addresses this gap through a systematic review of 181 articles published between 2013 and 2024, using a methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis. The results, obtained through an exhaustive literature search and data visualization tools, reveal emerging trends in HRC research within the building sector. In addition, it delves into three key areas of progress: the development of AI-assisted classification systems to improve efficiency in specific tasks, the exploration of robots with emotional capabilities for more flexible adaptation to work environments, and virtual reality training to optimize human-robot collaboration. In addition, three future lines of research are proposed to further explore HRC in the building sector. This research significantly expands the existing knowledge on this topic, placing it at the forefront of the discipline. It also provides practical guidelines for construction professionals to adopt the principles of Construction 5.0, enabling them to address the complex challenges of construction more effectively.