Introduction
The construction industry is increasingly exploring the potential of robotics and wearable systems to address its physical demands, skill shortages, and safety risks. However, the successful implementation of these technologies depends not only on technical feasibility but also on their alignment with real working conditions. This article delves into how construction workers experience interactive robotic systems and exoskeletons by integrating macro-level data from European and national surveys with micro-level insights from pilot studies.
Methods
The study analyzed five large-scale European surveys and combined this data with findings from four pilot studies involving 37 workers interacting with three robotic prototypes and one upper-body exoskeleton. Quantitative data focused on usability, workload, interaction principles, and affinity for technology, while qualitative feedback was gathered through open-ended responses.
Results
The research derived a set of guidelines for a human-centered approach to inform policy, offering practical guidance on designing and deploying interactive robotic systems that are functional, safe, acceptable, and effective in changing work environments.
Discussion
The challenges observed highlight the gap between the early stages of system design and the realities of dynamic construction work, emphasizing the need for a participatory, human-centered development approach. The findings suggest that a human-centered approach is essential for emerging technologies to be functional, safe, acceptable, and effective in changing work environments.
The Construction Sector’s Challenges
The construction sector is a significant part of Europe’s economy, accounting for 9% of the EU’s GDP and employing over 18 million people. Despite its economic importance, the sector faces persistent challenges, including physically demanding tasks, increasing skill shortages, and complex safety standards. Technological innovations, particularly advanced robotics and wearable systems like exoskeletons, have gained attention as potential solutions. These technologies promise physical relief and could fundamentally change work on construction sites, affecting work organization, psychosocial conditions, and occupational safety.
Underutilization of Digital Technologies
Despite their potential, digital technologies remain underutilized in the construction industry. For instance, only 30% of surveyed enterprises in Belgium reported awareness of new digital technologies, and just 5% implemented them. This indicates that construction is lagging behind other sectors in digitalization. Most advanced robotic systems currently aid in physical tasks such as heavy lifting and transporting objects, which are common in construction sites.
Benefits and Challenges of Robotics and Exoskeletons
Studies have shown that interactive robotic systems and exoskeletons can decrease physical strain, enhance task precision, and improve occupational safety. However, their application in unstructured, dynamic environments like construction sites remains limited. Challenges such as technological complexity, environmental volatility, and limited user acceptance persist. Psychosocial risks like low perceived control and time pressures are associated with lower acceptance and increased stress when workers interface with robotic systems.
Human-Centered Design Principles
To ensure the success of these technologies, it is crucial to understand and design for the humans interacting with the technology. The EN ISO 9214–110 standard on the ergonomics of human-system interaction provides guidance on the design of human-robot interaction. The Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model posits that a technology will only positively impact performance if its functionalities align well with the tasks being performed. In construction, this means that interactive robots or exoskeletons must fit the specific physical and organizational characteristics of the job.
Worker Involvement in Design
Involving workers in the design process from the outset has been shown to enhance usability and long-term acceptance. However, empirical studies investigating how workers experience robotic systems in real construction environments, especially during the early adoption phase, remain scarce. Large-scale surveys provide critical data on occupational risks, digitalization, and working conditions but often lack the contextual detail necessary to understand worker-technology interactions in daily practice.
Conclusion
The integration of macro-level survey evidence and micro-level pilot insights enables the development of operational, evidence-based principles, such as adaptive control mechanisms, robust and responsive feedback systems, and context-sensitive training. These principles offer concrete pathways to incorporate human-centered design into emerging technologies. By establishing usability, transparency, and adaptability as tangible design priorities, these guidelines promote the adoption of safer, more efficient, and more acceptable technology in construction environments.
🔗 **Fuente:** https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2025.1645150/full