My Colleague Is a Robot

Acceptance of collaborative robotics in warehouses

Frederic Jacob, Eric Grosse ORCID Icon, Stefan Morana, Cornelius J. König
JournalIndustrie 4.0 Management
Issue Volume 39, 2023, Edition 1, Pages 23-26
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Abstract

Warehousing is a very labor- and cost-intensive task in many companies. Digitization and automation of manual warehouse processes can increase efficiency, reduce costs and relieve employees. Collaborative robots that share work tasks with employees are increasingly used in warehouses. However, the pure techno-centric use of such robots can negatively influence the acceptance of human-robot collaboration. Various influences such as fear of job loss, higher cognitive stress, expected extra effort, or concerns about injuries can hinder human-robot collaboration and negatively impact economic benefits. This paper presents possible barriers to the acceptance of collaborative robotics in warehouses and discusses recommended actions for human-centered, sustainable human-robot collaboration.

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