Smart Wearable Devices and Technologies for Human-Augmentation Industry 5.0: A Systematic Review

The technologies spread with the phenomenon of Industry 4.0 have changed industrial systems and the role of users. This phenomenon reached its peak with the introduction of Industry 5.0, which emphasises the need to introduce advanced systems for Human-Augmentation. The research presents a systematic review of wearable devices, applied to different contexts, according to the identification of their main functionalities. The aim is to define a reference framework for the different types of wearable devices in order to identify the critical issues and opportunities offered by current wearable device technologies for transfer to production contexts. Starting from the identification of the taxonomy of classification of wearable devices, a framework has been defined that is based on different factors, types of wearable devices, functional attributes and positioning on body parts. The literature review and classification presented how the design of wearable devices is moving towards solutions capable of improving operational efficiency and ensuring safe levels of interaction between operator and technology, with particular attention to ergonomic factors such as usability. This manuscript aims to open a debate regarding the application scenarios, and research challenges associated with the use of wearable devices.