Human Robot Collaboration in Industry 4.0: a literature review

Abstract

Technological developments through the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) jointly with the global COVID-19 pandemic have brought about a change in life and work of almost all existing professionals. Some researchers argue how the fifth industrial revolution will approach the fourth much sooner than all previous industrial revolutions. In fact, several sources start talking about the fifth industrial revolution, although the paradigms that will define its context and areas of development are still unclear. This research study focuses on one of the foundational aspects of the fourth industrial revolution and which already has the basis for being projected into the fifth industrial revolution and thus the possibility to be taken to the next level: Human-Robot Collaboration. A state-of-the-art study and a bibliometric analysis have been carried out in order to identify research trends related to this paradigm. In addition, the authors present a definition of HRC trying to describe its main characteristics and the key aspects that identify it. In the second part of the paper, a summary of the main research trends is presented, reporting some significant case studies.

Keywords: Human-Robot Collaboration; Industry 4.0.; bibliometric analysis.