AHFE Open AccessShaping Future Work Systems: A Framework for the Integration of Humanoid Robots
Abstract
Advances in humanoid robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous control are accelerating the integration of humanoid robots into industrial and service‑oriented work systems. Their anthropomorphic kinematics, human‑scale reachability, and multimodal sensing enable operation within infrastructures originally designed for human workers. Yet, structured, theory‑based methodologies for their systematic integration into socio‑technical environments remain limited. This paper presents a human‑factors‑oriented framework supporting the selection, design, implementation, and evaluation of humanoid‑robot‑enhanced work systems. It integrates socio‑technical systems theory, human-robot interaction, and ergonomic design across five domains: robot selection, contextual diagnostics, work allocation and interaction modelling, system integration, and multidimensional evaluation. Industrial cases in automotive assembly and intralogistics demonstrate how humanoid robots can assume physically demanding tasks while humans retain decision‑intensive roles. The framework positions humanoid robots as flexible, modular automation resources and highlights future research needs, including interoperability standards and scalable safety architectures for industrial deployment.
Keywords: Humanoid Robotics, Work System Design, Human-robot Interaction, Ergonomics, Task Allocation
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007772
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