Human Robot Interaction: A Research on the Collaborative Robots Used in Mining Industry

Abstract

Nowadays, robots are increasingly used in a wide range of tasks, from industrial production to social services. The main purpose of this study is to explain individuals’ acceptance of working collaboratively with industrial robots. Attitudes toward using these robots—referred to as collaborative robots (cobots)—may shift in either a positive or negative direction depending on various factors. For instance, individuals who hold negative views toward technological developments are more likely to exhibit unfavorable attitudes toward collaborative robots. On the other hand, the ease of use of a given technological devices may encourage individuals to use such devices. Accordingly, this study investigates the effect of negative attitudes toward situations of interacting with robots on individuals’ acceptance of working with collaborative robots. More specifically, the primary objective of this research is to examine the mediating role of the perceived ease of use of the collaborative robot in the relationship between individuals’ attitudes toward robots and their acceptance of working with them. In line with this objective, the sampling frame of the study consists of employees who work alongside collaborative industrial robots while performing their jobs. Within this framework, data were collected via a survey method from 100 blue-collar workers employed at two mining sites operating in Afyon and Muğla. The collected data were analyzed using correlation analysis, simple linear regression, and hierarchical regression analyses. The findings reveal that negative attitudes toward interacting with robots have a negative effect on the acceptance of working with the relevant robot, whereas the perceived ease of use of the existing robot technology has a positive effect on acceptance behavior. Furthermore, another key finding of this study is that the relationship between negative attitudes toward interacting with robots and the acceptance of robot technology is mediated by the perceived ease of use of the robot technology.