Experimental study on human–robot collaborative assembly: cognitive load and effects on quality

Human–robot interaction is becoming a prevalent design choice for workplaces. Robots can provide support in tasks and processes, while humans can provide flexibility in certain aspects. However, as seen in the literature reviews, the implementation of human–robot systems does not consider the effects on operators, which can increase mental demands and raise safety concerns. This work presents the results of an experimental study on human–robot collaboration, targeting the connection between cognitive load and quality of processes, products, and human work. The results show that the temporal demand of collaboration is one of the associated reasons behind cognitive load and stress. The authors use the demand-control model to understand the empirical results and provide design guidelines for engineers and practitioners to improve task and process design for collaborative robot systems. Future research directions are also provided.