Mobile Robots Meet Augmented Reality Technologies: Transforming Human-Robot Interaction in Industry 4.0 Scenarios

Abstract

Mobile robots combine digital technologies and automation, enabling a new era of operations in Industry 4.0 scenarios. These robots can navigate through assembly lines and logistics warehouse autonomously, making them catalysts for increased efficiency and productivity. Despite this, various challenges arise, including maintaining multiple robots up and running over large spaces, handling navigation during unexpected situations, ensuring operators safety, among others. To help overcome these, Augmented Reality (AR), a key pillar of Industry 4.0 can be used to assist with Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), contributing to a more productive and optimized logistics environment. This work proposes a framework for enhancing the understanding of the status of logistics robots through the use of a mobile AR tool. Its goal is to provide operators with an effective way of obtaining more information about the surrounding robots, as well as remote control them. The framework was iteratively tested during the various phases of design and development, allowing to integrate the feedback collected in each stage.