User-centered design in mobile human-robot cooperation: consideration of usability and situation awareness in GUI design for mobile robots at assembly workplaces

i-com, vol. 22, pp. 193–213

Abstract

Abstract Mobile cobots can increase the potential for assembly work in industry. For human-friendly automation of cooperative assembly work, user-centered interfaces are necessary. The design process regarding user interfaces for mobile human-robot cooperation (HRC) shows large research gaps. In this article an exemplary approach is shown to design a graphical user interface (GUI) for mobile HRC at assembly workplaces. The design is based on a wireframe developed to support situation awareness. An interactive mockup is designed and evaluated. This is done in two iterations. In the first iteration, a user analysis is carried out using a quantitative survey with n = 31 participants to identify preferred input modalities and a qualitative survey with n = 11 participants that addresses touch interfaces. The interactive mockup is developed by implementing design recommendations of the usability standards ISO 9241 – 110, 112 and 13. A heuristic evaluation is conducted with n = 5 usability experts and the measurement of situation awareness with n = 30 end users. In the second iteration, findings from the preceding iteration are implemented in the GUI and a usability test with n = 20 end users is conducted. The process demonstrates a combination of methods that leads to high usability and situation awareness in mobile HRC.

Authors 4

1. Christian Colceriu corresponding Aachen chair Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Chair of Individualized Production (IP) Faculty of Architecture

   Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) · Krones (Germany) · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair and Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany

   Chair of Individualized Production , Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany

   Corporate Research and Development , Krones AG, Böhmerwaldstr. 5, 93073 Neutraubling , Bavaria , Germany

   Institute for Software Technology , DLR, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany

   Chair and Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

   Chair of Individualized Production, Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

2. Sabine Theis

   Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Software Technology , DLR, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany

3. Sigrid Brell‐Çokcan Aachen Chair of Individualized Production (IP) Faculty of Architecture

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Individualized Production , Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany

4. Verena Nitsch Aachen chair Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair and Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Nordrhein-Westfalen , Germany