Robot ergonomics: Towards human-centred and robot-inclusive design

Abstract

This paper presents a cross-disciplinary approach to the design of robots and the designed environments they will inhabit and the objects they will operate in applications of social and service robotics. Such an approach brings together roboticists, architects, product, and interior designers in realizing new ways of collaboration to design innovative spaces and products that are ergonomically designed for diverse users as well as for robots. A design paradigm is proposed for realizing successful robot-inclusive designs using a case study of door handles to test our robot ergonomic principles.