Cobots for All

“Decent work for all” is one of the core goals outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8), emphasizing inclusive and equitable employment opportunities for everyone. Despite growing awareness, inclusivity in workplaces remains a challenge in many fields, where systemic barriers continue to limit equal participation. One of the most affected groups is people with disabilities, who, despite their skills and qualifications, are often excluded from job opportunities. This not only undermines their chance to live with dignity in society but also prevents them from contributing their best to the community at large. To some extent, the same holds true for older adults, individuals living with chronic pain or injuries, and those with differing physical abilities or professional experiences.

Inclusivity has become even more relevant with the rise of Industry 5.0, which promises human-centered manufacturing that harmonizes technological advancement with human well-being. In this context, it is crucial to ensure that such progress benefits not just a group of people with certain abilities, but as many people as possible. The next industrial revolution must leave no one behind.

In light of this, the Bremen Institute for Mechanical Engineering (bime) aims to integrate inclusivity into human-robot collaboration, especially in industrial assembly. In this project, a robotic solution is developed to enable collaborative robots (cobots) to adapt themselves to work seamlessly with workers based on their different abilities and preferences. The development and evaluation of the system are conducted with the participation of people with diverse capabilities, including people from disabled communities. This project aims to gain a better understanding of how to accommodate human diversity in human-robot teams and open factory doors to potential workers who have been excluded until now.