Human Hybrid Robot, Next-generation Support Technology for Manual Tasks: Challenges, Perspectives and Economic Implications

Despite the increasing application of automated systems, manual tasks still plays an important role in industrial production. The intelligence and flexibility of human enable quick response and adaptive production for the individual requirements and the changes in market. Moreover, some manufacturing tasks with sensible and high-value components (e.g., in electronic and aircraft production) requires attentive manual handling. Regarding the requirement of increasing productivity as well as ergonomic improvement and the aging of the employees, there is a significant need for technologies which support the staff individually by performing tasks. Human Hybrid Robot, a hybrid system with direct coupling (serial and/or parallel) of human and mechatronic elements, is a new trend in application of robotic technologies for supporting manual tasks. It realizes a synchronous and bidirectional interaction between human and mechatronic and/or mechanic elements in the same workspace. This paper will discuss the challenges to realize the concept of Human Hybrid Robot for industrial application. According to the challenges we will give an overview of relevant technologies. Finally, it will concludes with the economic implications of such systems as well as an outlook on future research.