Decision modeling of the challenges to human–robot collaboration in industrial environment: a real world example of an emerging economy

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to identify and evaluate the challenges in the establishment of human–robot collaboration (HRC) in the industrial environment. Based on a semi systematic literature review, twenty challenges in the establishment of HRC in the industrial environment have been identified and evaluated in a real-world industrial environment. To evaluate the challenges, an integrated multi-criteria decision-making technique consisting of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) in the Fermatean fuzzy system (FFS) context is used. Outcome of FFS-AHP indicates task planning, and task allocation, initial cost of investment, lack of reliability, energy consumption, and safety interaction as the top five challenges in establishing HRC industrial environment. FFS-DEMATEL categorizes the initial cost of investment, energy consumption, lack of reliability, safety interaction, task planning and task allocation, level of automation, and workplace design into cause group while the remaining thirteen challenges comes under effect group. Also, these seven challenges come under decisive category while thirteen challenges come under independent category. This study not only focuses on the challenges in the HRC in the industrial environment but also sheds light on the importance of the transition towards I4.0. The findings of the study help industrial management in taking precautionary actions to overcome the challenges in the establishment of HRC in the industrial environment. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of few initial attempts that address a decision modelling framework to evaluate the challenges to HRC.

Appendix 1

Section A: Basic information

Please tick only one choice in the following questions:

• 1. What is your qualification?

  • a. Undergraduate

  • b. Postgraduate

  • c. Doctorate

• 2. What is your work experience?

  • a. More than 5 years

  • b. 5–10 years

  • c. More than 10 years

• 3. How will you classify your organization?

  • a. Public sector

  • b. Private sector

  • c. Entrepreneur

Section B: Selecting the challenges in establishment of HRC industrial environment

We have identified twenty challenges in establishment of HRC industrial environment by literature review and are provided in the feedback form given below. However, in real day-to-day industrial environment, there may be more challenges. Hence, we aim to finalize the challenges in the establishment of HRC industrial environment through your (expert) response. For that, you are requested to rate the following challenges on 7 point Likert scale (1 – least relevant and 7 – most relevant). Additionally, you are also free to add/delete any challenges which you think are significant/insignificant to HRC in industrial environment. Also, note that numbers mentioned with the challenges (C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6,C7,C8,C9,C10,C11,C12,C13,C14,C15,C16,C17,C18,C19,C20) does not indicate their level of significance.

See Table 7

Table 7 Challenges in establishment of HRC in industrial environment as reported in the literature

Section C: Evaluating the challenges in HRC in industrial environment to reveal causal interrelationship

After finalizing the challenges in HRC in industrial environment, it is needed to evaluate them to understand their causal interrelationship. Therefore, it is needed to construct the direct relationship matrix for the identified challenges and for that your response is needed. Please use the given linguistic terms for giving your response.

Linguistic evaluation scale

Linguistic variables	Influence score	FFSs numbers
Very high (VH)	4	(0.9, 0.1)
High (H)	3	(0.7, 0.2)
Low (L)	2	(0.4, 0.5)
Very low (VL)	1	(0.1, 0.75)
No influence (NO)	0	(0, 1)

See Table 8.

Table 8 Pairwise comparison matrix