Category: robots

Human and Machine: Ergonomics at the Centre of the AI Transition

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

The Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) actively contributes to the work of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) within the framework of the European Campaign “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age”, which focuses on the occupational safety and health challenges arising from digitalisation and emerging technologies.

Within this framework, FEES participated in the official EU-OSHA campaign summit, where Gyula Szabó, PhD, Professor at Óbuda University, Hungary, and representative of the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies, delivered the presentation entitled “Human and Machine”.

The presentation was part of Parallel Session 3: “OSH as a driver of safe and healthy digital technologies for work”, chaired by Dietmar Elsler and Annick Starren, Senior Research Project Managers at EU-OSHA.
The session brought together experts from industry, research, and policy, including:

  • Regine Mägerlein, Head of Global Environment, Health and Safety, ZF Lifetec
  • Beatrice Aelterman, Head of Global Occupational Health and Safety, Boehringer Ingelheim
  • Moritz Schneider, Senior Specialist for AI and Software Architecture, German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), and the Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH)
  • Gyula Szabó, PhD, Professor at Óbuda University and representative of the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies

The presentation addressed the profound changes brought by artificial intelligence in the field of digital occupational safety and health. AI is no longer merely a supporting technology. It introduces autonomous decision-making, learning systems, and continuous data-driven feedback into everyday work processes. These developments fundamentally reshape human–system interaction and raise new questions related to control, responsibility, trust, and well-being at work.

https://summit2025.healthy-workplaces.eu/videoteca/osh-as-a-driver-of-safe-and-healthy-digital-technologies-for-work

From an ergonomics and human factors perspective, artificial intelligence represents a new but logically connected application domain. The primary goal of ergonomics has always been to optimise the interaction between humans and systems. With the emergence of AI, this interaction becomes more complex, as cognitive load, transparency, predictability, and human oversight gain increasing importance. Consequently, ergonomics and human factors play a central role in the AI transition.

European regulation clearly reflects this approach. Key principles of the EU AI Act, such as human oversight, transparency, explainability, predictability, and safety, strongly overlap with long-established ergonomic and user-centred design principles. These requirements are not abstract legal concepts, but practical criteria that directly influence worker safety, mental health, and acceptance of AI-based systems.

The presentation also highlighted emerging psychosocial risks linked to AI-supported work. Continuous monitoring, automated evaluation, and blurred human–machine boundaries may increase mental strain, stress, and feelings of loss of control if not properly addressed. AI can improve efficiency only if it does not reduce quality of life or undermine human autonomy.

A central message of the session was that users must not be treated as passive recipients of AI solutions. Human-centred and human-in-the-loop approaches are essential. Workers need to be involved throughout the development and implementation cycle, from design to everyday use and continuous improvement. Clarity, acceptability, safety, and learnability remain key criteria for sustainable AI systems.

The AI transition is therefore not only about smarter machines, but about better human–machine cooperation. Ergonomics and human factors provide the conceptual and practical foundation to ensure that AI-based solutions support people, rather than replace or overload them.

FEES is proud to have been actively involved in the EU-OSHA campaigns since the establishment of the campaign partner network. We consider it a privilege that successive campaign themes consistently highlight different application domains of ergonomics. The previous campaign, “Lighten the Load”, addressed the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders and manual handling risks, representing a classical and well-established field of physical ergonomics.

The current campaign, focusing on digitalisation and artificial intelligence, clearly brings ergonomics and human factors into the foreground from a new perspective, emphasising cognitive, organisational, and psychosocial aspects of work. Looking ahead, we anticipate the launch of the next campaign, which is expected to address mental workload and knowledge-based work. This emerging focus will further strengthen the role of cognitive ergonomics and human reliability, areas where ergonomics and human factors can make a decisive contribution.

We look forward to continuing our active involvement in future EU-OSHA campaigns and to representing the ergonomic perspective across these evolving challenges of work.

International Conference on Safety and Innovation

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Safety and Innovation, organized by INAIL in collaboration with the ISSA Section Machine and System Safety. The event will be held from March 11th – 13th, 2025, at INAIL, Piazzale Giulio Pastore 6, Roma.

The conference will focus on the following key topics:

  • Innovative Technologies for Safety: Exploring cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance safety in the workplace. We invite papers discussing new solutions that improve safety during work activities or reduce risks through design innovations.
  • Safety of Innovative Products: Examining the safety aspects of new technologies integrated into products such as machinery, plants, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Submissions should address how these innovations comply with safety regulations and identify gaps in standardization.
  • Innovative Systems for Specialist Training: Evaluating new training systems, including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality tools. We seek papers that analyze these technologies’ effectiveness compared to traditional training methods and discuss various national protocols and guidelines.
  • Workspace Safety: Addressing the design of workspaces to ensure safe working conditions. We welcome papers that present innovative design solutions and examine how workspace design influences worker behaviour and skills.
  • Safety of Living Environments and Human Settlements: Investigating methods for detecting and mitigating pollution and predictive control of structures and facilities to prevent widespread risks. Papers should focus on innovative techniques for monitoring and controlling human settlements and living environments.
  • Systems for Inclusive Safety: Focusing on creating inclusive safety systems that accommodate diverse needs, including gender differences, an ageing population, and disabilities. We encourage papers that explore technical solutions and design strategies for tools, equipment, and training that promote safety and inclusion in the workplace.

The first deadline for abstract submissions is August 30th, 2024. For further information on the topics and the Call for Papers, please visit INAIL’s event page.

Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age: Adapting OSH for the Future

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

Digitalisation is revolutionising the workplace, bringing opportunities and challenges requiring new ergonomics / human factors solutions to update occupational safety and health (OSH). With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, collaborative robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), algorithms, digital labour platforms, and increased remote work, workers and employers face new risks and opportunities. The key to addressing these challenges lies in how these technologies are applied, managed, and regulated within current social, political, and economic contexts.

EU-OSHA’s Efforts and Campaigns

EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces Campaign, “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age” (2023-2025), aims to raise awareness about the implications of digital technologies on workplace safety and health. This campaign underscores the importance of a human-centred approach in designing, implementing, managing, and using these technologies to ensure they are safe and productive. The priority areas:

Advanced Robotics and Automation – Key Considerations for Human Interaction and Trust

According to the Agency’s recently published Policy Brief, “Advanced robotics and automation: Key considerations for human interaction and trust“, the growing autonomy in advanced robotic systems necessitates a shift in the terminology from ‘use’ to ‘interaction’ between humans and robots. The quality of this interaction significantly impacts occupational safety and health (OSH) factors. Various aspects of robotic interaction design, such as cognitive ergonomics, outward appearance, embodiment, robot behaviour, and communication styles, are linked to OSH risks and opportunities. The primary objective is facilitating smooth and natural interactions, enhancing well-being, acceptance, trust, and user experience while mitigating stress and other adverse outcomes.

Anthropomorphic Robot Design

  • Appearance and Behavior: Human-like features (e.g., eyes, facial expressions) can enhance natural interaction and acceptance, especially in social robotics. However, excessive human likeness may cause negative emotions due to the “uncanny valley” effect.
  • Expectation Management: Anthropomorphic features may lead to unrealistic expectations about a robot’s capabilities, potentially impacting task performance and safety. For example, workers might erroneously attribute visual or auditory perception to robots with eyes or ears.
  • Task-Relevant Design: In industrial settings, anthropomorphic movements can improve workflow and task accuracy but must be carefully designed to avoid misinterpretation and potential hazards.

Interaction Principles and Transparency

  • Design Principles: General ergonomic design principles, such as those in EN ISO 9241-110, apply to robotic systems, improving usability and user experience.
  • Cognitive and Sensorial Aid: With increasing robotic autonomy, interaction design must provide mental and sensory aids to prevent information overload and ensure effective decision-making.
  • System Transparency: Adequate transparency is crucial for users to understand robotic actions and intentions, fostering trust and reliability. However, too much information can overload and hinder critical information processing.

Trust in Human-Robot Interaction

  • Calibrated Trust: Appropriate trust in robotic systems is essential for effective collaboration. Over-reliance can lead to complacency, while insufficient trust can result in underutilisation. Trust must be calibrated to match the robot’s capabilities.
  • Influential Factors: Trust is influenced by human-related factors (e.g., user satisfaction, comfort), robot-related factors (e.g., reliability, anthropomorphism), and context-related factors (e.g., team collaboration task difficulty). Reliable and empathetic robots foster higher trust levels.

Risks and Recommendations

  • Privacy and Control: Collecting and analysing data for personalised interaction can raise privacy concerns and feelings of alienation. Ensuring transparency and adhering to data protection regulations is critical.
  • Training and Adaptation: Training on automation bias and system capabilities can mitigate trust miscalibrations. Continuous adaptation to user preferences and task requirements enhances interaction quality.

“Napo in… robots at work”

“Napo in… robots at work” animation provides an overview of safety considerations related to workplace robotics. The film outlines various emerging robotic technologies, associated accident types, key hazards, and control measures.

Production line workers face the highest risk, followed by maintenance workers. Most injuries result from poor workplace design and human error. Technological advances, such as fixed robots, collaborative and mobile robots, and exoskeletons, can enhance working conditions and introduce new hazards in manufacturing environments.

Join the Campaign

The Federation of the European Ergonomics Societies is one of the few EU-OSHA “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age” campaign partners. Ergonomists have a crucial role in creating healthy workplaces and improving performance and user satisfaction.

Please learn more about ergonomics, human factors and occupational health in the digital age. Visit the campaign’s new “Automation of Tasks” Priority Area for more information, resources, materials, insights and practical tools to ensure safe and healthy work environments in the digital age.