Multi-objective task allocation for collaborative robot systems with an Industry 5.0 human-centered perspective

The migration from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 is becoming more relevant nowadays, with a consequent increase in interest in the operators’ wellness in their working environment. In modern industry, there are different activities that require the flexibility of human operators in performing different tasks, while some others can be performed by collaborative robots (cobots), which promote a fair division of the tasks among the resources in industrial applications. Initially, these robots were used to increase productivity, in particular in assembly systems; currently, new goals have been introduced, such as reducing operator’s fatigue, so that he/she can be more effective in the tasks that require his/her flexibility. For this purpose, a model that aims to realize a multi-objective optimization for task allocation is here proposed. It includes makespan minimization, but also the operator’s energy expenditure and average mental workload reduction. The first objective is to reach the required high productivity standards, while the latter is to realize a human-centered workplace, as required by the Industry 5.0 paradigms. A method for average mental workload evaluation in the entire assembly process and a new constraint, related to resources’ idleness, are here suggested, together with the evaluation of the methodology in a real case study. The results show that it is possible to combine all these elements finding a procedure to define the optimal task allocation that improves the performance of the systems, both for efficiency and for workers’ well-being.