research paper topics about robotics

101+ Simple Robotics Research Topics For Students

Imagine a world where machines come to life, performing tasks on their own or assisting humans with precision and efficiency. This captivating realm is the heart of robotics—a fusion of engineering, computer science, and technology. If you’re a student eager to dive into this mesmerizing field, you’re in for an electrifying journey. 

In this blog, we’ll unravel the secrets of robotics research, highlight its significance, and unveil an array of interesting robotics research topics. These topics are perfect for middle and high school students, making the exciting world of robotics accessible to all. Let’s embark on this adventure into the future of technology and innovation!

In your quest to explore robotics, don’t forget the valuable support of services like Engineering Assignment Help . Dive into these fascinating research topics and let us assist you on your educational journey

What is Robotics Research Topic?

Table of Contents

A robotics research topic is a specific area of study within the field of robotics that students can investigate to gain a deeper understanding of how robots work and how they can be applied to various real-world problems. These topics can range from designing and building robots to exploring the algorithms and software that control them.

Research topics in robotics can be categorized into various subfields, including:

• Mechanical Design: Studying how to design and build the physical structure of robots, including their components and materials.
• Sensors and Perception: Investigating how robots can sense and understand their environment through sensors like cameras, infrared sensors, and ultrasonic sensors.
• Control Systems: Exploring the algorithms and software that enable robots to move, make decisions, and interact with their surroundings.
• Human-Robot Interaction: Researching how robots can collaborate with humans, including topics like natural language processing and gesture recognition.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Studying how AI techniques can be applied to robotics, such as machine learning for object recognition and path planning.
• Applications: Focusing on specific applications of robotics, such as medical robotics, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation.

Why is Robotics Research Important?

Before knowing robotics research topics, you need to know the reasons for the importance of robotics research. Robotics research is crucial for several reasons:

Advancing Technology

Research in robotics leads to the development of cutting-edge technologies that can improve our daily lives, enhance productivity, and solve complex problems.

Solving Real-World Problems

Robotics can be applied to address various challenges, such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and healthcare assistance.

Inspiring Innovation

Engaging in robotics research encourages creativity and innovation among students, fostering a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.

Educational Benefits

Researching robotics topics equips students with valuable skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork.

Career Opportunities

A strong foundation in robotics can open doors to exciting career opportunities in fields like robotics engineering, AI, and automation.

Also Read: Quantitative Research Topics for STEM Students

Easy Robotics Research Topics For Middle School Students

Let’s explore some simple robotics research topics for middle school students:

Robot Design and Building

1. How to build a simple robot using household materials.

2. Designing a robot that can pick up and sort objects.

3. Building a robot that can follow a line autonomously.

4. Creating a robot that can draw pictures.

5. Designing a robot that can mimic animal movements.

6. Building a robot that can clean and organize a messy room.

7. Designing a robot that can water plants and monitor their health.

8. Creating a robot that can navigate through a maze of obstacles.

9. Building a robot that can imitate human gestures and movements.

10. Designing a robot that can assemble a simple puzzle.

11. Developing a robot that can assist in food preparation and cooking.

Robotics in Everyday Life

1. Exploring the use of robots in home automation.

2. Designing a robot that can assist people with disabilities.

3. How can robots help with chores and housekeeping?

4. Creating a robot pet for companionship.

5. Investigating the use of robots in education.

6. Exploring the use of robots for food delivery in restaurants.

7. Designing a robot that can help with grocery shopping.

8. Creating a robot for home security and surveillance.

9. Investigating the use of robots for waste recycling.

10. Designing a robot that can assist in organizing a bookshelf.

Robot Programming

1. Learning the basics of programming a robot.

2. How to program a robot to navigate a maze.

3. Teaching a robot to respond to voice commands.

4. Creating a robot that can dance to music.

5. Programming a robot to play simple games.

6. Teaching a robot to recognize and sort recyclable materials.

7. Programming a robot to create art and paintings.

8. Developing a robot that can give weather forecasts.

9. Creating a robot that can simulate weather conditions.

10. Designing a robot that can write and print messages or drawings.

Robotics and Nature

1. Studying how robots can mimic animal behavior.

2. Designing a robot that can pollinate flowers.

3. Investigating the use of robots in wildlife conservation.

4. Creating a robot that can mimic bird flight.

5. Exploring underwater robots for marine research.

6. Investigating the use of robots in studying insect behavior.

7. Designing a robot that can monitor and report air quality.

8. Creating a robot that can mimic the sound of various birds.

9. Studying how robots can help in reforestation efforts.

10. Investigating the use of robots in studying coral reefs and marine life.

Robotics and Space

1. How do robots assist astronauts in space exploration?

2. Designing a robot for exploring other planets.

3. Investigating the use of robots in space mining.

4. Creating a robot to assist in space station maintenance.

5. Studying the challenges of robot communication in space.

6. Designing a robot for collecting samples on other planets.

7. Creating a robot that can assist in assembling space telescopes.

8. Investigating the use of robots in space agriculture.

9. Designing a robot for space debris cleanup.

10. Studying the role of robots in exploring and mapping asteroids.

These robotics research topics offer even more exciting opportunities for middle school students to explore the world of robotics and develop their research skills.

Latest Robotics Research Topics For High School Students

Let’s get started with some robotics research topics for high school students:

Advanced Robot Design

1. Developing a robot with human-like facial expressions.

2. Designing a robot with advanced mobility for rough terrains.

3. Creating a robot with a soft, flexible body.

4. Investigating the use of drones in agriculture.

5. Developing a bio-inspired robot with insect-like capabilities.

6. Designing a robot with the ability to self-repair and adapt to damage.

7. Developing a robot with advanced tactile sensing for delicate tasks.

8. Creating a robot that can navigate both underwater and on land seamlessly.

9. Investigating the use of drones in disaster response and relief efforts.

10. Designing a robot inspired by cheetahs for high-speed locomotion.

11. Developing a robot that can assist in search and rescue missions in extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes or wildfires.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

1. How can artificial intelligence enhance robot decision-making?

2. Creating a robot that can recognize and respond to emotions.

3. Investigating ethical concerns in AI-driven robotics.

4. Developing a robot that can learn from its mistakes.

5. Exploring the use of machine learning in robotic vision.

6. Exploring the role of AI-driven robots in space exploration and colonization.

7. Creating a robot that can understand and respond to human emotions in healthcare.

8. Investigating the ethical implications of autonomous vehicles in urban transportation.

9. Developing a robot that can analyze and predict weather patterns using AI.

10. Exploring the use of machine learning to enhance robotic prosthetics.

Human-Robot Interaction

1. Studying the impact of robots on human mental health.

2. Designing a robot that can assist in therapy sessions.

3. Investigating the use of robots in elderly care facilities.

4. Creating a robot that can act as a language tutor.

5. Developing a robot that can provide emotional support.

6. Studying the psychological impact of humanoid robots in educational settings.

7. Designing a robot that can assist individuals with neurodegenerative diseases.

8. Investigating the use of robots for mental health therapy and counseling.

9. Creating a robot that can help children with autism improve social skills.

10. Developing a robot companion for the elderly to combat loneliness.

Robotics and Industry

1. How are robots transforming the manufacturing industry?

2. Investigating the use of robots in 3D printing.

3. Designing robots for warehouse automation.

4. Developing robots for precision agriculture.

5. Studying the role of robotics in supply chain management.

6. Exploring the integration of robots in the construction and architecture industry.

7. Investigating the use of robots for recycling and waste management in cities.

8. Designing robots for autonomous maintenance and repair of industrial equipment.

9. Developing robotic solutions for monitoring and managing urban traffic.

10. Studying the role of robotics in the development of smart factories and Industry 4.0.

Cutting-Edge Robotics Applications

1. Exploring the use of swarm robotics for search and rescue missions.

2. Investigating the potential of exoskeletons for enhancing human capabilities.

3. Designing robots for autonomous underwater exploration.

4. Developing robots for minimally invasive surgery.

5. Studying the ethical implications of autonomous military robots.

6. Exploring the use of robotics in sustainable energy production.

7. Investigating the use of swarming robots for ecological conservation and monitoring.

8. Designing exoskeletons for individuals with mobility impairments for daily life.

9. Developing robots for autonomous planetary exploration beyond our solar system.

10. Studying the ethical and legal aspects of AI-powered military robots in warfare.

These robotics research topics offer high school students the opportunity to delve deeper into advanced robotics concepts and address some of the most challenging and impactful issues in the field.

Robotics research is a captivating field with a wide range of robotics research topics suitable for students of all ages. Whether you’re in middle school or high school, you can explore robot design, programming, AI integration , and cutting-edge applications. Robotics research not only fosters innovation but also prepares you for a future where robots will play an increasingly important role in various aspects of our lives. So, pick a topic that excites you, and embark on your journey into the fascinating world of robotics!

I hope you enjoyed this blog about robotics research topics for middle and high school students.

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IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica

• JCR Impact Factor: 11.8 , Top 4% (SCI Q1) CiteScore: 17.6 , Top 3% (Q1) Google Scholar h5-index: 77， TOP 5

Advancements in Humanoid Robots: A Comprehensive Review and Future Prospects

Doi:  10.1109/jas.2023.124140.

• Yuchuang Tong ,  ,  , 
• Haotian Liu ,  , 
• Zhengtao Zhang ,  , 

Yuchuang Tong (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in mechatronic engineering from the State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 2022. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor with the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research interests include humanoid robots, robot control and human-robot interaction. Dr. Tong has authored more than ten publications in journals and conference proceedings in the areas of her research interests. She was the recipient of the Best Paper Award from 2020 International Conference on Robotics and Rehabilitation Intelligence, the Dean’s Award for Excellence of CAS and the CAS Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation

Haotian Liu received the B.Sc. degree in traffic equipment and control engineering from Central South University in 2021. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in control science and control engineering at the CAS Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Vision and Intelligent Equipment Technology, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IACAS) and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). His research interests include robotics, intelligent control and machine learning

Zhengtao Zhang (Member, IEEE) received the B.Sc. degree in automation from the China University of Petroleum in 2004, the M.Sc. degree in detection technology and automatic equipment from the Beijing Institute of Technology in 2007, and the Ph.D. degree in control science and engineering from the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2010. He is currently a Professor with the CAS Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Vision and Intelligent Equipment Technology, IACAS. His research interests include industrial vision inspection, and intelligent robotics

• Corresponding author: Yuchuang Tong, e-mail: [email protected] ; Zhengtao Zhang, e-mail: [email protected]
• Accepted Date: 2023-11-26

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current status, advancements, and future prospects of humanoid robots, highlighting their significance in driving the evolution of next-generation industries. By analyzing various research endeavors and key technologies, encompassing ontology structure, control and decision-making, and perception and interaction, a holistic overview of the current state of humanoid robot research is presented. Furthermore, emerging challenges in the field are identified, emphasizing the necessity for a deeper understanding of biological motion mechanisms, improved structural design, enhanced material applications, advanced drive and control methods, and efficient energy utilization. The integration of bionics, brain-inspired intelligence, mechanics, and control is underscored as a promising direction for the development of advanced humanoid robotic systems. This paper serves as an invaluable resource, offering insightful guidance to researchers in the field, while contributing to the ongoing evolution and potential of humanoid robots across diverse domains.

• Future trends and challenges , 
• humanoid robots , 
• human-robot interaction , 
• key technologies , 
• potential applications

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• Figure 1. Historical progression of humanoid robots.
• Figure 2. The mapping knowledge domain of humanoid robots. (a) Co-citation analysis; (b) Country and institution analysis; (c) Cluster analysis of keywords.
• Figure 3. The number of papers varies with each year.
• Figure 4. Research status of humanoid robots
• Figure 5. Comparison of Child-size and Adult-size humanoid robots
• Figure 6. Potential applications of humanoid robots.
• Figure 7. Key technologies of humanoid robots.

Research Topics & Ideas: Robotics

50 Topic Ideas To Kickstart Your Research Project

If you’re just starting out exploring robotics and/or automation-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research by providing a hearty list of research ideas , including real-world examples from recent studies.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . These topic ideas provided here are intentionally broad and generic , so keep in mind that you will need to develop them further. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

To develop a suitable research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan to fill that gap. If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Robotics & Automation Research Ideas

• Developing AI algorithms for autonomous decision-making in self-driving cars.
• The impact of robotic automation on employment in the manufacturing sector.
• Investigating the use of drone technology for agricultural crop monitoring and management.
• The role of robotics in enhancing surgical precision in minimally invasive procedures.
• Analyzing the ethical implications of using robots in elderly care.
• The effectiveness of humanoid robots in assisting children with autism.
• Investigating the integration of IoT and robotics in smart home systems.
• The impact of automation on workflow efficiency in the healthcare industry.
• Analyzing the challenges of human-robot interaction in industrial settings.
• The role of robotics in deep-sea exploration and data collection.
• Investigating the use of robotic exoskeletons in rehabilitation therapy for stroke patients.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on the future of job skills and training.
• Developing advanced machine learning models for robotic vision and object recognition.
• Analyzing the role of robots in disaster response and search-and-rescue missions.
• The effectiveness of collaborative robots (cobots) in small-scale industries.
• Investigating the potential of robotics in renewable energy operations and maintenance.
• The role of automation in enhancing precision agriculture techniques.
• Analyzing the security risks associated with industrial automation systems.
• The impact of 3D printing technology on robotic design and manufacturing.
• Investigating the use of robotics in hazardous waste management and disposal.
• The effectiveness of swarm robotics in environmental monitoring and data collection.
• Analyzing the ethical and legal aspects of deploying autonomous weapon systems.
• The role of robotics in enhancing logistics and supply chain management.
• Investigating the potential of robotic process automation in banking and finance.
• The impact of robotics and automation on the future of urban planning and smart cities.

Robotics Research Ideas (Continued)

• Developing underwater robots for marine biodiversity conservation and research.
• Analyzing the challenges of integrating AI and robotics in the educational sector.
• The role of robotics in advancing precision medicine and personalized healthcare.
• Investigating the social implications of widespread adoption of service robots.
• The impact of automation on productivity and efficiency in the food industry.
• Analyzing human psychological responses to interaction with advanced robots.
• The effectiveness of robotic assistants in enhancing the retail customer experience.
• Investigating the use of automation in streamlining media and entertainment production.
• The role of robotics in preserving cultural heritage and archeological sites.
• Analyzing the potential of robotics in addressing environmental pollution and climate change.
• The impact of cyber-physical systems on the evolution of smart manufacturing.
• Investigating the role of robotics in non-invasive medical diagnostics and screening.
• The effectiveness of robotic technologies in construction and infrastructure development.
• Analyzing the challenges of energy management and sustainability in robotics.
• The role of AI and robotics in advancing space exploration and satellite deployment.
• Investigating the application of robotics in textile and garment manufacturing.
• The impact of automation on the dynamics of global trade and economic growth.
• Analyzing the role of robotics in enhancing sports training and athlete performance.
• The effectiveness of robotic systems in large-scale environmental restoration projects.
• Investigating the potential of AI-driven robots in personalized content creation and delivery.
• The role of robotics in improving safety and efficiency in mining operations.
• Analyzing the impact of robotic automation on customer service and support.
• The effectiveness of autonomous robotic systems in utility and infrastructure inspection.
• Investigating the role of robotics in enhancing border security and surveillance.
• The impact of robotic and automated technologies on future transportation systems.

Recent Studies: Robotics & Automation

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual robotics and automation-related studies to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of recent studies to help refine your thinking. These are actual studies,  so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• A Comprehensive Survey on Robotics and Automation in Various Industries (Jeyakumar K, 2022)
• Dual-Material 3D-Printed PaCoMe-Like Fingers for Flexible Biolaboratory Automation (Zwirnmann et al., 2023)
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Adoption: A Systematic Literature Review (Costa et al., 2022)
• Analysis of the Conditions Influencing the Assimilation of Robotic Process Automation by Enterprises (Sobczak, 2022)
• Using RPA for Performance Monitoring of Dynamic SHM Applications (Atencio et al., 2022)
• When Harry, the Human, Met Sally, the Software Robot: Metaphorical Sensemaking and Sensegiving around an Emergent Digital Technology (Techatassanasoontorn et al., 2023)
• Model-driven Engineering and Simulation of Industrial Robots with ROS (Hoppe & Hoffschulte, 2022)
• RPA Bot to Automate Students Marks Storage Process (Krishna, 2022)
• Intelligent Process Automation and Business Continuity: Areas for Future Research (Brás et al., 2023)
• Enabling the Gab Between RPA and Process Mining: User Interface Interactions Recorder (Choi et al., 2022)
• An Electroadhesive Paper Gripper With Application to a Document-Sorting Robot (Itoh et al., 2022)
• A systematic literature review on Robotic Process Automation security (Gajjar et al., 2022)
• Teaching Industrial Robot Programming Using FANUC ROBOGUIDE and iRVision Software (Coletta & Chauhan, 2022)
• Industrial Automation and Robotics (Kumar & Babu, 2022)
• Process & Software Selection for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) (Axmann & Harmoko, 2022)
• Robotic Process Automation: A Literature-Based Research Agenda (Plattfaut & Borghoff, 2022)
• Automated Testing of RPA Implementations (Sankpal, 2022) Template-Based Category-Agnostic Instance Detection for Robotic Manipulation (Hu et al., 2022)
• Robotic Process Automation in Smart System Platform: A Review (Falih et al., 2022)
• MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION IMPLEMENTATIONS IN DIGITAL INDUSTRIES (Stamoulis, 2022)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

Get 1-On-1 Help

If you’re still unsure about how to find a quality research topic, check out our Research Topic Kickstarter service, which is the perfect starting point for developing a unique, well-justified research topic.

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Having a machine learning agent interact with its environment requires true unsupervised learning, skill acquisition, active learning, exploration and reinforcement, all ingredients of human learning that are still not well understood or exploited through the supervised approaches that dominate deep learning today. Our goal is to improve robotics via machine learning, and improve machine learning via robotics. We foster close collaborations between machine learning researchers and roboticists to enable learning at scale on real and simulated robotic systems.

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Advances and perspectives in collaborative robotics: a review of key technologies and emerging trends

• Open access
• Published: 29 August 2023
• Volume 2 , article number  13 , ( 2023 )

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• Swapnil Patil 1 ,
• V. Vasu 1 &
• K. V. S. Srinadh 1  

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This review paper provides a literature survey of collaborative robots, or cobots, and their use in various industries. Cobots have gained popularity due to their ability to work with humans in a safe manner. The paper covers different aspects of cobots, including their design, control strategies, safety features, and human–robot interaction. The paper starts with a brief history and evolution of cobots, followed by a review of different control strategies and Safety features such as collision detection and avoidance, and safety-rated sensors are also examined. Further to this, a systematic review of Ergonomics is also taken into account. Additionally, the paper explores the challenges and opportunities presented by cobot’s technology, including the need for standards and regulations, the impact on employment, and the potential benefits to industry. The latest research in human–robot interaction is also discussed. Finally, the paper highlights current limitations of cobot’s technology and the need for further research to address technical and ethical challenges. This synthesis document is an invaluable resource for both academics and professionals interested while developing and application of cobot’s technology.

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Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

Collaborative robots, commonly known as cobots, are transforming the way humans and robots collaborate in shared workspaces. The need for enhanced productivity and efficiency in industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, has fuelled the development of cobots. Cobots are distinct from conventional industrial robots as they are intended to operate securely and efficiently in conjunction with human workers, providing greater flexibility and adaptability in the workplace.

One of the key challenges in developing collaborative robots is creating systems that can effectively perceive and respond to their environment. To address this challenge, researchers are exploring the utilization of computer vision and sensory modalities to boost the abilities of cobots in collaborative workspaces. Computer vision allows cobots to perceive their environment through visual data, while sensory modalities such as force-torque sensors and lidars provide additional feedback on the cobots’ movements and interactions with their environment.

To gain a better context and appreciate the importance of collaborative robots, it is crucial to comprehend industrial robots. Industrial robots are programmable and autonomous machines comprising electronic, electrical, and mechanical components, capable of executing a complex set of operations. These robots are massive, inflexible, and are usually installed to perform dangerous and physically demanding tasks that may be hazardous for human, such as transporting heavy loads in factories. Generally, industrials robots are designed for specific applications, kept separate from human workers, and occupy a distinct workspace. In contrast, collaborative robots, also known as co-bots, are intended to operate alongside human workers in the same workspace. These robots weigh a lot less compared to traditional industrial robots, enabling greater mobility and ease of movement within the factory or workspace or industry that they are installed in. One of the advantages that cobots offer over industrial robots is their flexibility, as they can be used to perform multiple tasks, making them highly adaptable to changing work requirements.

This review's objective is to give sufficient information on the state of the art for HRI in artificial cobotic fields. A collaborative system is created to conduct business with a living being within a predetermined collaborative workspace where mechanical hazards are most likely to arise. This is because when humans and robots share a workplace, it is feasible for implicit, non-functional (and undesirable) linkages to form. While collaborative robots offer several crucial safety precautions that permit the execution of safe operations, this status typically changes as they are incorporated into a working environment and outfitted with various end-effectors kinds. Because of this, it's important to properly enforce safety rules regarding the design of the work cell as well as devices for preventing collisions and/or contact mitigation.

The psychophysical and social well-being of drivers is a part of ergonomics, often known as human factors. Physically speaking, collaborative robots can lighten the pressure on drivers by helping them with laborious and repetitive duties. As opposed to that, a close partnership can stress out drivers' brains. In fact, the unidentified robot movements may hurt drivers' abilities and performances.

Because of this, cognitive ergonomics in collaborative robots is a genuinely new and sometimes overlooked concept. Drivers may experience mental stress due to teamwork. In fact, the unidentified robot movements may hurt drivers' abilities and performances. Because of this, cognitive ergonomics in collaborative robots is a genuinely new and sometimes overlooked concept. So as to move collaborative robotics from the laboratory to the workshop or manufacturing facility of the industry, the purpose of this study is to examine the state-of-the-art in collaborative robotics safety and ergonomics and to pinpoint those research areas that are very significant (Fig. 1 ).

Application of COBOTS

1.1 History of collaborative robots

The history of industrial revolutions sheds light on where collaborative robots stand in terms of industrial technological advancements. Industrial revolutions are defined as changes in technology used in manufacturing and production industries during a specific time period. The seventeenth century saw the beginning of the industrial revolution, saw the introduction of water and steam power to mechanize machines, which revolutionized manufacturing and allowed for mass production and assembly lines. The second industrial revolution, in the late eighteenth century added electricity to the equation and replaced steam engines with electrical ones. The third industrial revolution, in the late nineteenth century, saw the introduction of computers and automated machines, leading to further automation and increased manufacturing and assembly line capacities with increased productivity.

Industry 4.0, the latest and most advanced concept of industrial revolution, was coined in Germany in 2011. Industry 4.0 uses digitization and networked production, incorporating IoT, cyber-physical systems, and cloud computing to create “Smart Factories.” Although the concept of collaborative robots predates Industry 4.0, they have become increasingly relevant to the production and manufacturing industry with the advent of this latest revolution. In shared workspaces, collaborative robots are made to function effectively and safely next to human workers. They are programmed to perform a range of tasks, such as assembly, welding, packaging, and inspection, among others. Cobots have a range of sensors on board and technologies that allow them to detect and avoid collisions with human workers and adjust their movements based on human input (Figs. 2 , 3 ).

History of COBOTS

Market of COBOT

1.2 Difference between robots and cobots

See Table 1

1.3 Types of cobots

Independent

Robots that can work independently and collaboratively with humans are created for different manufacturing processes and on different job items. So as to make sure that the cobots can operate securely and effectively without the need for cages or fences, this sort of collaboration often uses sensors and other safety elements. Robots that can work independently and collaboratively with humans are created for different manufacturing processes and on different job items.

So as to make sure that the cobots can operate securely and effectively without the need for cages or fences, this sort of collaboration often uses sensors and other safety elements.

Simultaneous

A human operator and a collaborative robot (cobot) work simultaneously on different production processes at the same work piece in simultaneous collaborative robots. There is no task or time dependency in this kind of collaboration between humans and cobots. Concurrently working on the same piece of work reduces transit time and boosts productivity and space efficiency.

By allowing cobot to carry out potentially hazardous duties for a human operator, simultaneous collaboration can also increase safety in dangerous circumstances.

Sequential collaborative robots are used to undertake successive production procedures on the same work item with a human operator. The operator’s operations and those of the cobots are time-dependent, with the cobot being tasked with handling more time-consuming or repetitive activities, which may also improve the operator's working conditions.

This kind of cooperation is beneficial for boosting output, cutting down on errors, and cutting down on idle time in between activities. Working together sequentially is frequently employed in processes like assembly, welding, and material handling.

Supportive collaborative robots are a subset of collaborative robots that allow an operator and cobots to collaborate while working on the same task or piece of work. As one cannot complete the task without the other, there may be complete dependencies between the human and the cobots in this type of situation. Together, the cobot and human operator strive to accomplish a single objective, each balancing the other's advantages and disadvantages.

Some common applications of supportive collaborative robots include assembly tasks, pick-and-place operations, and quality control inspection.

2 Literature survey

This section offers a survey of latest studies on interactions between human and robots in commercial collaboration robotics. Additionally, it suggests dividing the information in these works’ content into two groups: Safety and Ergonomics. The Safety category includes works focused on developing safe human–robot interaction systems and ensuring the safety of human workers in shared workspaces. The Ergonomics category includes works focused on improving the ergonomic design of collaborative robots to enhance the comfort and efficiency of human workers. Furthermore, this chapter addresses the challenges associated with industrial Cobots and identifies potential areas for future research.

One major challenge is the development of effective communication systems that enable seamless cooperation between machines and people. Additionally, there is a need for the development of advanced sensing technologies that enable robots to perceive and respond to their environment in real-time.

In conclusion, this chapter highlights the emergence of collaborative robots and the need for new human–robot interaction systems to fully utilize their capabilities. It also provides a classification of recent works in the field and addresses challenges and future research directions.

Materials and methods

There are several papers and journals and hence to take the most relevant into account review should be carried out using systematic, scientific, and transparent and in reliable method.

To carry out scientific review on Collaborative Robotics we followed following steps for study:

Step 1: defining the study's or reviews scientific objectives;

Step 2: defining the explorations amorphous borders;

Step 3: setting the conditions for data collection;

Step 4: validation of result and classification.

Defining the study’s or reviews scientific objectives

The following research questions allowed us to determine the study's goals:

RQ1. What are the main research themes or areas of research in collaborative robots?

RQ2. Classification of research themes and identifying the most prominent out of Safety and Ergonomics.

RQ3. What are the research gaps and research challenges?

In the most recent scientific literature, researchers have mostly focused on safety and ergonomics (or human aspects) for cobots intended for industrial usage. This review study will assist us in understanding and examining the most recent research issues and areas in safe and comfortable collaborative robotics. To use collaborative and participatory workplaces successfully in assiduity, we specifically want to comprehend how the exploratory results obtained in recent times can be dispersed and where we need to focus in the future.

Defining the exploration's amorphous borders

When reviewing literature on cobots, it is important to establish conceptual boundaries to ensure that the review is focused and relevant to the research question or topic at hand. Some possible conceptual boundaries to consider include:

Type of collaboration: collaborative robots can interact with humans in a variety of ways viz Supportive, Sequential, Simultaneous or Independent. Researchers may choose to focus on a particular type of collaboration to better understand the specific issues related to that type of interaction.

Safety and ergonomics: safety and ergonomics are critical considerations in the design and implementation of collaborative robots. Researchers may choose to focus specifically on these aspects of collaborative robot research understand the latest state of the art and identify areas for improvement.

Technical approaches: collaborative robot research can involve a range of technical approaches, including control algorithms, sensing technologies, and human–robot interface design. By focusing on a specific technical approach, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and limitations of that approach and identify areas for future research and development.

Human factors: collaborative robots are designed to work alongside humans, and as such, understanding human factors is essential to their successful implementation. Researchers may choose to focus specifically on human factors research related to collaborative robots, such as user acceptance and trust workload and cognitive demands, and the impact of robot behavior on human performance.

These are just a few possible conceptual boundaries to consider when reviewing literature on collaborative robots.

Setting the conditions for data collection

We linked pertinent documents for our investigation in several ways.

As a preliminary step, we used the following search phrases for the title, abstract, and keywords to link the literature in the collaborative robotics field: Cobots, collaborative robots, human-robots, collaborative robotics, etc. All types of topics and documents were included in this initial step.

The terms “industry,” “artificial,” “manufacturing,” “assembly,” and “product” were included to the hunt terms in this alternative stage because we focused on collaborative robotics in the artificial sector as robotic results.

The following stage was to concentrate our investigation on pertinent engineering or computer science exploration studies.

The search was limited to using the journal as a source in order to solely examine high caliber content. To concentrate the research on problems related to the design of collaborative workplaces, we further limited the search to the topic categories “Engineering” and “Computer Science.”

In the fourth step, we split the results of the hunt into two groups, one for a workshop discussing safety and the other group discussing ergonomics. As a result, we divided the data into two groups, one using the phrase “safety” and the other using “ergonomics” or “human factors”.

Validation of result and classification

As per research questions, our prime objective are to segregate the state of the art literature of collaborative robotics into different clusters and sub clusters and identifying the most prominent cluster.

In this stage, initially thorough reading of abstracts of each literature is conducted to identify the relevance of literature to our study. In consequent steps, proof reading to journals and papers were done and certain literature were eliminated which were not relevant to the objectives of study.

In next section, Discussion of the content of the scientific literature on collaborative robots is elaborated which broadly classified into two groups viz. Safety and Ergonomics. Further each group is classified into two sub clusters (Fig. 4 ).

Identification of groups and subgroups

“It’s impossible for a robot to hurt a human being” and “A robot cannot, through its inaction, enable a human being to endanger himself” are the first and third laws of robotics, respectively. This emphasizes how crucial safety is with the evolution of industrial cobots, robots are now capable of working alongside humans and performing tasks in close proximity. However, doing so necessitates disregarding security protocols and eliminating human–robot physical separation. The fast movement and use of dangerous tools by robots can pose a threat to humans. Moreover, in extreme environmental conditions or in case of system failure, the dangerous behavior of these systems can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Authored by De Santis and Siciliano’s the paper provides a comprehensive review of safety issues related to human–robot cooperation in manufacturing systems. The authors identify four main categories of safety issues: physical safety, functional safety, social safety, and psycho safety. One of the key contributions of the paper is its emphasis on the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to addressing safety issues in human–robot collaboration [ 1 ].

Bicchi et al. discuss the safety issues related to the increasing trend of physical interaction between humans and robots. Author proposes the concept of “safe robot behavior” which is based on the robot's ability to sense the environment, monitor its own actions, and adjust them to ensure safety. The authors further discuss the various factors that influence the safety of physical human–robot interaction, such as the level of interaction, the type of task, the environment, and the human operator's experience and skills. The chapter concludes by presenting various approaches and technologies that can be used to enhance the safety of physical human–robot interaction, such as compliance control, force feedback, and proximity sensors. The authors underline the importance of further research and development in this field to ensure safe and effective human–robot collaboration [ 2 ].

Wang et al. provided a brief review of safety strategies for physical human–robot interaction (PHRI). They highlighted the importance of developing safety measures to ensure that PHRI can be integrated safely into various applications, including manufacturing, healthcare, and home assistance. The authors identified various types of safety strategies, including mechanical, electrical, and software-based measures. They also discussed the importance of integrating sensing and monitoring systems into PHRI applications to detect and react to any potential collisions or hazards [ 3 ].

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a technical study called ISO 10218-2:2011 that details the safety standards for industrial robots and robotic devices, specifically the robot systems and integration. This standard offers instructions for designing, installing, running, and maintaining robotic systems, together with the necessary safety precautions for human–robot interaction (HRI). The report includes provisions for both functional and environmental safety, including protection against electric shock, fire, and explosion, and requirements for emergency stop functions, protective barriers, and safety interlocks. The standard also provides guidelines for risk assessment and reduction, as well as for the design and verification of safety-related control systems [ 4 ].

The paper by Gualtieri et al. discusses how to create collaborative assembly workstations that are both safe and ergonomic while also meeting the demands of production efficiency; system integrator designers need new design criteria. In this article, design rules and prerequisites are collected and categorised based on international standards, research, and actual use cases. This effort will aid in the future creation of a simple technique for the assessment of both new design concepts and applications based on the fulfilment of several criteria listed in a tick list. From the perspective of occupational health and safety, this check list will also give a preliminary assessment of how well certain of the required Machinery Directive standards have been met [ 5 ].

Further, safety of cobotics system in divided into two broad categories.

2.1.1 Contact avoidance

The idea of Contact Avoidance focuses on preemptively addressing the mechanical risks to operators by implementing preventive methods and systems to avoid hazardous contact. The ultimate goal is to prioritize the safety of the operators in industrial settings where they are working alongside machinery and equipment.

Schmidt and Wang et al. proposed a novel approach for active collision avoidance in human–robot collaboration scenarios. Their work focused on the development of a collision detection and avoidance system that uses force feedback to adjust the robot's trajectory in real-time. The proposed system consisted of three main components: a force sensor, a control unit, and a collision avoidance algorithm [ 6 ].

Chablat and Girin et al. developed an industrial security system that ensures safe and secure human–robot coexistence in manufacturing environments. The authors proposed an industrial security system that combines a range of sensing technologies, including cameras, laser scanners, and pressure sensors. The system is designed to detect the presence of humans in the robot's workspace and respond accordingly [ 7 ].

Bedolla and Belingardi et al. addressed the challenge of developing safe and efficient human–robot collaboration (HRC) assembly process in the automotive industry. The authors proposed a safety design framework that consists of three main phases: risk assessment, safety design, and safety verification. The risk assessment phase involves identifying and evaluating the risks associated with the HRC assembly process, such as collisions or entrapment. The safety design phase involves developing safety measures and controls to mitigate the identified risks, such as force-limited operation or proximity sensors. The safety verification phase involves testing and validating the effectiveness of the safety measures and controls [ 8 ].

Authored by Chen et al. the paper presents an approach to object recognition within the context of human–robot shared workspace collaboration. They propose a new approach based on deep learning algorithms, which can automatically learn and recognize objects in real-time [ 9 ].

The paper by De Luca and Flacco et al. discusses an integrated control approach for PHRI. The authors emphasize the need for effective collision avoidance, detection, reaction, and collaboration in order to ensure safety during human–robot interaction. The proposed control approach is based on a combination of active and passive compliance control. The authors also describe the use of vision and force feedback sensors to improve situational awareness and to enable the robot to adapt its behavior in real-time based on the human’s actions [ 10 ].

Fiacco et al. presented a depth space approach for evaluating the distance to objects in a human–robot collaborative workspace. The “Depth space,” is a metric space that represents the distances between the robot and objects in the workspace. They proposed a method for computing depth space using RGB-D data and a mathematical formulation that allows the robot to assess the distance to objects in real-time. The study contributes to the literature on human–robot collaboration by proposing a new approach for evaluating distance to objects in the workspace, which can aid in collision avoidance and ensure the safety of humans and robots working together [ 11 ].

Authored by Navarro et al. paper presents a novel approach for achieving safe human–robot interaction based on adaptive damping control. The authors propose an ISO10218-compliant controller for robotic manipulators, which is capable of reducing the damping coefficient during the interaction with a human operator to minimize the risk of injury in the event of a collision. The controller estimates the external force applied by the human operator and adapts the robot's damping coefficient accordingly to limit the collision force. The authors evaluate the performance of the proposed controller using a KUKA robot arm and a force/torque sensor [ 12 ].

Authored by Morato et al. proposed a framework for safe human–robot collaboration using multiple kinects for real-time human tracking. The proposed framework integrated the RGB and depth information of multiple Kinects to create a 3D model of the workspace and the humans present in it. The 3D model was then used to track the human movements in real-time, and the robot was programmed to respond accordingly. The study suggests that the use of multiple kinects for real-time human tracking can significantly improve the safety of human–robot collaboration. However, the study did not address the limitations of the kinect technology, such as occlusions, accuracy issues, and noise in the depth data, which could affect the reliability of the proposed framework in practical settings [ 13 ].

Authored by Avanzini et al. proposed a novel approach for safety control of industrial robots using a distributed distance sensor. The proposed solution involved the use of a network of sensors that can detect the proximity of any obstacle or person within the robot workspace. The system was designed to operate in real-time and provide continuous feedback to the robot controller, allowing it to adapt its movements and speed to avoid any potential collision. The results showed that the distributed distance sensor was able to detect obstacles accurately and provide timely feedback to the robot controller, allowing it to modify its movements and avoid collisions [ 14 ].

Authored by Bdiwi et al. presents a strategy for ensuring the safety of human–robot interaction in industrial settings. The proposed strategy involves dividing the interaction between the human and the robot into three levels: low, medium, and high. For each level, the authors propose specific safety measures that should be implemented to ensure the safety of humans during the interaction. These measures include limiting the speed and force of the robot, using proximity sensors to detect the presence of humans, and implementing emergency stop systems [ 15 ].

2.1.2 Contact detection and mitigation

The idea of Contact Detection and Mitigation is focused on ensuring the safety of operators in terms of mechanical risk by reducing the energy exchanged during unexpected or accidental contact between humans and robots. This is accomplished through the implementation of systems and methodologies aimed at detecting and mitigating such collisions.

Authored by Heo and Lee et al. the paper proposes a deep learning-based approach to collision detection for industrial collaborative robots. The authors propose a deep learning-based approach that uses convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to predict collisions between the robot and its environment. They train the CNN on a dataset of simulated collision scenarios, and demonstrate that the model can accurately predict collisions in real-time with low computational overhead [ 16 ].

Authored by Wang et al. the paper presents an overview of the state-of-the-art technologies and approaches for implementing physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) such as force sensing, tactile sensing, and vision-based sensing in collaborative manufacturing systems. To evaluate the effectiveness of pHRI in manufacturing, the authors conducted a case study involving a collaborative assembly task. The study involved the use of a force-sensing and camera-sensing robot to work alongside human workers in the assembly of a product [ 17 ].

Authored by Liu et al. the paper presents a collision detection and identification method for robot manipulators based on an extended state observer (ESO). The authors propose a collision detection and identification method based on an ESO. The ESO is used to estimate the state of the robot manipulator, including the position, velocity, and acceleration. By comparing the estimated state with the expected state, the method is able to detect and identify collisions [ 18 ].

The paper by Schiavi et al. discusses the integration of active and passive compliance control for ensuring safe human–robot coexistence. The authors argue that active compliance control can ensure safety during interactions with high forces or impacts, while passive compliance control can provide stability and safety during interactions with low forces or impacts and presents a hybrid controller that combines both active and passive compliance control and allows for safe interaction with a human operator [ 19 ].

Authored by De Luca et al. the paper focuses on the development of a lightweight manipulator arm equipped with sensors to detect potential collisions and to react appropriately to prevent damage to the robot and injury to humans. The paper describes the collision detection system which is based on a combination of force and torque sensors, and visual information from cameras mounted on the robot. The authors also propose a safe reaction algorithm to avoid or minimize the impact of collisions [ 20 ].

Authored by Haddadin et al. the paper provides an in-depth review of the collision detection and reaction approaches for ensuring safe physical human–robot interaction. The authors present a novel approach for collision detection and reaction using three-layer safety architecture. The first layer is the control layer, which monitors the robot's motion and signals an alarm in the event of a collision. The second layer is the decision layer, which evaluates the severity of the collision and triggers the appropriate safety measure. The third layer is the reaction layer, which executes the safety measure and stops the robot in case of an emergency [ 21 ].

Authored by De Benedictis et al. proposed a control strategy for regulating force impulses during human–robot interactions. The authors proposed a control strategy based on impedance control, which uses a combination of force and position control to regulate the force impulse during an impact. The proposed method was implemented and tested using a robotic manipulator and a force sensor. The results showed that the proposed strategy effectively regulated the force impulse during impact, leading to improved safety during human–robot interactions [ 22 ].

The paper by Indri et al. presents a collision detection method between an industrial robot and its environment. The approach consists of three main steps: first, the environment is modeled using a mesh structure; second, the robot is represented as a set of convex polyhedral; and finally, collision detection is performed using an efficient algorithm that takes into account the relative motion between the robot and the environment. Experimental results demonstrate that the effectiveness of the proposed approach and on comparison approach found to be more efficient [ 23 ].

Authored by Lee and Song et al. the paper proposed a novel method for detecting collisions between a robot manipulator and its surroundings without the need for sensors. The proposed method utilizes a friction model to estimate the contact force between the robot manipulator and the environment. This force is then used to detect collisions based on a threshold value set by the user. The authors tested the method on a three-axis robot arm and showed that it was able to successfully detect collisions with high accuracy and without the need for additional sensors [ 24 ].

Authored by Ren and Dong et al. presented a new approach for collision detection and identification of robot manipulators based on an extended state observer (ESO). The proposed method used the ESO to estimate the external disturbance caused by the collision and identified the collision parameters, including the collision position, direction, and magnitude. The main contribution of this work is the use of an ESO for collision detection and identification of robot manipulators [ 25 ].

2.2 Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of designing work environments and systems that are optimized for human use. Collaborative robots are designed to work safely and effectively with human workers in a shared workspace. Therefore, ergonomics is essential in the design and implementation of collaborative robots for several reasons such as Safety, Efficiency, Comfort, Productivity and Adaptability. Overall, the importance of ergonomics in collaborative robots cannot be overstated and leads to better outcomes for both human and robot workers.

Bortot’s et al. focuses on the ergonomic aspects of human–robot coexistence in the context of production. The thesis identifies several key ergonomic factors that are important for ensuring safe and effective human–robot collaboration in production settings. These include physical factors such as the design and placement of robotic systems, as well as cognitive and social factors such as the level of automation and the quality of communication between humans and robots [ 26 ].

Authored by Fraboni et al. focus of this article is on establishing secure and productive human–robot collaborations, which help us, understand how to implement and evaluate collaborative robotic systems in organizations. This means that the interaction between people and cobots should be planned and carried out in a way that minimizes hazards to employees while still increasing system performance and productivity. In general, successful human–robot collaboration entails finding a balance between protecting workers’ physical and mental health and reaching the appropriate levels of productivity and performance. The study emphasizes crucial tactics for assuring employees' psychological well-being, maximizing performance, and fostering the seamless integration of new technology. This has broad implications for sustainability in organizations [ 27 ].

2.2.1 Physical ergonomics

Physical Ergonomics in the field of human–robot interaction in industrial settings involves reducing biomechanical workload through the use of collaborative robots as advanced tools, aimed at improving the physical well-being of the operators.

Authored by Sadrfaridpour and Wang et al. proposes an integrated framework for HRI in collaborative assembly tasks within Hybrid manufacturing cells which consists of three key components: task planning, motion planning, and control. The task planning involves determining the optimal sequence of tasks for the human and robot, taking into account factors such as task complexity and worker/robot capabilities. The motion planning involves generating trajectories for the robot and human worker to perform their respective tasks, while ensuring that collisions are avoided and the task is completed efficiently. The control involves implementing feedback control to ensure that the robot and human worker perform their tasks accurately and effectively [ 28 ].

Authored by Cherubini et al. the paper presents a framework for collaborative manufacturing pHRI which consists of three main components: task planning, pHRI control, and safety monitoring. The task planning involves determining the optimal sequence of tasks for the human worker and robot to perform, taking into account factors such as task complexity and worker/robot capabilities. The pHRI control involves implementing feedback control to ensure that the robot and human worker perform their tasks accurately and effectively, while ensuring that the human worker is not at risk of injury. The safety monitoring involves continuously monitoring the environment and behavior of the human worker and robot to ensure that any potential safety risks are identified and mitigated [ 29 ].

Authored by Dannapfel et al. the paper presents a systematic planning approach for enabling heavy-duty human–robot cooperation in the automotive flow assembly process which consists of five main steps: (1) process analysis and classification, (2) task allocation, (3) workspace design, (4) robot selection, and (5) safety analysis [ 30 ].

The Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed for working in space environments with astronauts. Bluethmann et al. present the development of Robonaut and its potential applications in space missions. The robot’s design includes human-like arms, hands, and fingers that can mimic human movements and perform complex tasks. The robot is also equipped with sensors, cameras, and computer vision systems that allow it to interact with its environment and perform various tasks. The paper discusses the design challenges associated with creating a humanoid robot for space missions, including the need to ensure safety, reliability, and compatibility with the existing space infrastructure [ 31 ].

Authored by Müller et al. investigates how collaborative robots (cobots) can be integrated into assembly lines and how they can work together with human workers to increase efficiency and productivity. The authors analyzed the assembly tasks and identified those that could be performed by robots and those that required human involvement. The study proposed a process-oriented task assignment algorithm to determine what tasks are expected to the robot and what tasks are expected by the human worker. The algorithm takes into account the complexity of the task, the skill level of the worker, and the robot's capabilities [ 32 ].

Maurice et al. present a literature review on human-oriented design for collaborative robots. They begin by defining the characteristics of cobots and highlighting the challenges involved in designing them. They then discuss the various design considerations that must be taken into account when creating cobots that are safe and easy to use. These include the robot's size, weight, speed, and mobility, as well as its sensing and control capabilities. The authors then discuss several case studies that illustrate how human-oriented design can be applied in practice. They also discuss the use of motion capture technology to develop cobots that can mimic human movements and collaborate with workers in real-time [ 33 ].

Authored by Heydaryan et al. the article discusses implementation of a HRC system in an automotive assembly line. The authors present the safety measures adopted for the system design and development to ensure the protection of the human operator during the collaboration process. It then introduces the case study of a real-world HRC assembly process in the automotive industry, and the safety design strategies and tools applied during the development of the system [ 8 ].

The paper by Tang and Webb et al. paper presents a gesture control system that allows operators to control robots without physically touching any interface. The authors suggest that this system may improve ergonomics and reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries. The authors describe the design of their system, which is based on a combination of depth cameras and machine learning algorithms. The system uses the cameras to capture and interpret the operator's gestures in real time, and then uses this information to control the robot’s movements [ 34 ].

Authored by Faber et al. article presents a method for generating assembly plans that take into account the cognitive capabilities of human workers and the physical capabilities of robotic collaborators. The authors propose a planning framework that incorporates information about the tasks to be performed, the characteristics of the human workers, and the capabilities of the robots, with the aim of creating assembly sequences that are both ergonomic and efficient [ 35 ].

2.2.2 Cognitive ergonomics

Cognitive ergonomics pertains to minimizing mental stress and psychological discomfort for operators while working alongside robots. This principle is essential in ensuring interaction acceptability. Additionally, physical ergonomics focuses on reducing biomechanical workload and improving operators' physical well-being by utilizing collaborative robots as advanced tools. Organizational ergonomics, on the other hand, aims to optimize social-technical systems in terms of organizational structures, policies, and processes. By improving these factors, organizations can facilitate safe and efficient collaboration between human workers and robots.

Authored by Long et al. the paper presents an industrial security system designed to ensure safe human–robot coexistence in an industrial environment. The authors propose an industrial security system that includes three main components: a secure communication protocol, a secure operating system, and a secure monitoring system. The secure communication protocol is designed to prevent unauthorized access to the robot system by using encryption and authentication mechanisms. The secure operating system is designed to prevent malware and other attacks on the robot by enforcing strict security policies and isolating the robot's software environment from other systems. The secure monitoring system is designed to detect and respond to security breaches in real-time by analyzing system logs and monitoring the behavior of the robot and human operators [ 7 ].

Authored by Faber et al. the paper presents an approach to enhance human–robot collaboration in self-optimizing assembly cells by incorporating cognition into assembly sequence planning. The author proposes a cognition-enhanced assembly sequence planning approach that incorporates cognitive models of human behavior into the planning process. The approach uses a cognitive architecture called ACT-R (Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational) to model human behavior and simulate the performance of assembly tasks in collaboration with robots [ 35 ].

Solvang and Sziebig’s et al. paper presents a review of the literature on the use of industrial robots in cognitive info-communication. The paper explores the potential for robots to function as cognitive systems that can interact with humans in complex manufacturing environments. The author explains the concept of cognitive info-communication, which refers to the exchange of information and knowledge between humans and machines. They argue that cognitive info-communication is critical for effective human–robot collaboration in manufacturing, as it enables robots to understand and respond to human intentions and goals [ 36 ].

Authored by Shravani and Rao et al. discusses the challenges faced by industries while introducing robots and automation without creating fear of unemployment and high costs. The review included studies on the social and psychological impact of automation on the workforce and the economy. The framework also emphasizes the need for creating a supportive work environment that encourages human–robot collaboration and facilitates the transition to a more automated workplace [ 37 ].

Authored by De Santis’ et al. the paper presents literature review focuses on the modeling and control of physical and cognitive aspects in human–robot interaction (HRI). The paper explores the current state of HRI research and the challenges faced in modeling and controlling robot behavior in physical and cognitive aspects to improve human–robot collaboration. The author discusses the need for robots to have cognitive capabilities to facilitate communication and collaboration with humans in different environments. The review emphasizes the importance of designing robots that can adapt to different tasks and environments while ensuring the safety and comfort of humans [ 38 ].

Authored by Medina, Lorenz, and Hirche et al. the paper proposes a new approach to human–robot collaboration based on anticipatory haptic assistance. The paper presents a framework for human–robot collaboration that incorporates anticipatory haptic assistance, based on a stochastic model of human behavior. The authors then describe how this framework can be used to synthesize appropriate haptic cues that help guide the human operator towards a desired task outcome [ 39 ].

Authored by Matsas et al. presents a prototyping approach for proactive and adaptive techniques for human–robot collaboration in manufacturing using virtual reality. The authors propose a methodology for designing and evaluating human–robot collaborative tasks that integrates the use of virtual reality simulations and machine learning techniques. The paper focuses on the development of a proactive and adaptive approach to haptic feedback for collaborative tasks, which takes into account the uncertainty in human behavior [ 40 ].

Authored by Maurtua et al. discusses the key issues and challenges of human–robot collaboration in industrial settings, with a focus on safety, interaction, and trust. The authors provide an overview of various safety measures that can be taken to ensure safe HRC, including safety sensors and safety controllers. They also discuss the importance of communication between humans and robots, highlighting the need for robots to be able to understand human intentions and for humans to trust the robot's actions [ 41 ].

Authored by Charalambous et al. aimed to identify the key organizational human factors that influence the introduction of human–robot collaboration (HRC) in industry. The study involved semi-structured interviews with industry experts who had experience in HRC implementation… These factors included organizational culture, management support, employee involvement and training, job design, and communication. The authors noted that these factors were interrelated and had an impact on each other [ 42 ].

Authored by Rahman and Wang et al. proposes a framework for subtask allocation in human–robot collaboration based on mutual trust. The proposed framework is composed of three primary modules: the communication, the trust evaluation, and the subtask allocation. The authors validate their framework through simulation and experiments on a lightweight assembly task. The findings indicate that the proposed framework leads to enhanced collaboration performance and increased mutual trust between the human and robot [ 43 ].

Authored by Koppenborg et al. investigation into how human–robot collaboration in an industrial setting is impacted by movement speed and predictability. The author conducted a study with 32 participants who were instructed to put something together collaboratively with a robot. The authors concluded that movement speed and predictability are important factors to consider when designing human–robot collaboration systems in industrial settings, and that slower and more predictable robot movement can improve performance and perceived safety and trust [ 44 ].

3 Discussion

In this section, we will begin by presenting and analyzing the descriptive findings of our study. We will then proceed to examine the results derived from the content analysis, aiming to identify the most prominent research themes that have emerged within the field of safety and ergonomics in industrial collaborative robotics. Lastly, we will acknowledge and discuss the limitations associated with this study.

In total, 45 papers were analyzed in detail, with the following breakdown for each cluster, the total number of publications classified (including papers classified in additional clusters):

For Contact Avoidance 10 papers, 10 papers for Contact Mitigation and, 4 papers covering both contact avoidance and detection and mitigation of contacts.

One paper for Physical and Cognitive and Organizational Ergonomics, nine papers for Physical Ergonomics and, 11 papers for Cognitive and Organizational Ergonomics.

According to Fig.  5 , 53.33% of the publications found are about "safety," while 46.66% are about "ergonomics." This indicates that contemporary researchers made investments in. More work should be put into developing safety measures rather than researching HRI ergonomics situations.

Number of papers

3.1 Challenges and future development

In this segment, Based on the most important and intriguing research themes found in each cluster, we highlight the limitations of our analysis and suggest options for future research.

3.1.1 Safety

Regarding safety in Human–Robot commerce (HRI), the primary ideal is to guard drivers from unlooked-for collisions between mortal body corridor and robot systems or workspace rudiments, while contemporaneously icing optimal performance of product systems.

Contact Avoidance crucial exploration themes that hold significance and pledge for Contact Avoidance includes Motion Planning and Control, Sensor Systems for Object Tracking, and Safety Management. These findings affirm the prevailing trend of developing safety systems that prioritize driver protection through preventative ways. Accordingly, a coordinated integration of vision systems, robot control, and line planning methodologies becomes pivotal. Safety Management also assumes significance as it supports the operation and evaluation of proposed safety measures, enabling better collision vaticination and minimizing the liability of similar incidents.

Contact Discovery and Mitigation Notable exploration themes for Contact Discovery and Mitigation comprise Motion Planning and Control, Robot System Design, and detector systems for contact operation. These themes parade essential correlations as advancements in protection- grounded safety measures bear concurrent development in robot tackle, contact discovery detector systems, and line planning. Similar combined sweats grease effective collision operation and reduce associated consequences.

3.1.2 Ergonomics

The part of ergonomics in HRI involves aiding humans in reducing biomechanical and cognitive load associated with work, without introducing new health and safety hazards stemming from relations with robot systems.

Fitness Ergonomics Task Scheduling (of high significance) and Motion Planning and Control (of moderate significance) are two important investigation subjects for physical ergonomics. These findings are consistent with the idea of human-centered workspaces supported by sophisticated robotization technologies. The creation of adaptive real-time task scheduling, as well as motion planning and control, should be given priority by unborn exploration. By adapting work cycles and robot system performance based on drivers' physical conditions (e.g. anthropometric features, age, gender, dominant branch, special limits or disabilities, weariness, etc.), these developments would facilitate workload reduction. Such a strategy aids in the implementation of sustainable product systems, improves the welfare of drivers, and makes it possible to hire older or otherwise disadvantaged workers. Still, it calls for the gathering of specific real-time data relating to drivers' psychophysical states.

Metrics and Tests, Motion Planning and Control, and Simulation and Modeling are some of the main research areas in cognitive ergonomics. Cognitive aspects should concentrate on minimizing work- related psychosocial pitfalls arising from participated conditioning and workspaces. Also, icing the adequacy of robot systems by mortal associates is pivotal. Balancing the advantages and implicit discomfort associated with varying degrees of commerce becomes essential. Methodologies for assessing and testing cooperative systems could prop in relating and mollifying implicit sources of psychosocial pitfalls. Also, the design of crucial features and performance related to cooperative systems should consider these aspects. Simulations and modeling play a vital part in supporting and validating these design choices.

3.1.3 Other challenges

A cobot must be built similarly to a traditional robot in order to maximize task execution quality, the ergonomics of a human coworker, and ensure his safety.

Millions of artificial robots have been used in production environments across the globe. Therefore, it would be more desirable to develop technologies that can transform them into mortal-safe robotic systems with no attack variations rather than replacing all of these traditional robots with safe cobots at a huge expense. Reprogram capability, scalability and literacy capability of cooperative robots is also a big challenge. On the same line, erecting a stoner-friendly mortal—robot interfaces come up with a challenge.

Real- time constraints are a critical aspect of mortal- robot commerce (HRI) in the realm of artificial cobotics. Meeting these constraints is essential to insure the trust ability and effectiveness of the system. When calculations exceed predefined thresholds, it can affect in- deterministic geste and potentially lead to system failures with severe consequences. These limitations have significant counteraccusations for colorful aspects of HRI, including mortal action recognition, contemporaneous discovery of multiple conduct, anti-collision strategies, control armature, and 3D vision.

A significant challenge in the advancement of mortal- robot commerce (HRI) within artificial cobotic systems is the fault- forbearance paradigm. This paradigm aims to incorporate individual capabilities André-planning capacities, allowing the system to acclimatize stoutly grounded on the available coffers and trustability. Expansive exploration has been devoted to the fault forbearance model, but a comprehensive approach that seamlessly integrates this paradigm into the design of HRI and control infrastructures is still lacking.

There are colorful constraints and challenges associated with artificial cobotic systems that need to be addressed. These include achieving dependable discovery of mortal stir to enable the development of accurate prophetic systems, icing robust discovery of contact between robots and humans in multiple locales, and developing responsive regulators able of real- time liner-planning in complex and cluttered surroundings.

3.2 Summary of the discussion

According to the statistics, the most cutting-edge debate subjects for contact avoidance are Safety Management, Sensor Systems for Object Tracking, and Motion Planning and Control. Case studies, operations, help systems, and artificial intelligence all have minimal effects. The main themes of Motion Planning and Control include Mortal-stir Vaticinator, Line Modification, and Stir Control Techniques. The main topics covered in Sensor Systems for Object Tracking include the creation and fusion of monitoring and computer vision systems for gesture recognition, workplace management, and human localization. The design of methods, standards, and guidelines for connection obstruction operation is one of the main themes in safety management.

The statistics show that Motion Planning and Control, Robot System Design, and sensor systems for contact operation are the most cutting-edge dissertation issues for Contact Discovery and Mitigation. Case studies, operations, safety management, simulation and modeling provide only minor contributions. The primary topics for Motion Planning and Control are control strategies. The development of robot attack and design methods is the focus of Robot System Design. The development of sensor bias and methodology for discovery are the primary contents for sensor systems for contact operation.

Task Scheduling Strategy is the most sophisticated physical ergonomics discourse theme, according the data. Motion Planning and Control and Assistance Systems provide a small contribution. The main focus of Task Scheduling Strategy is on assigning and organizing robot-

Human task sequences while incorporating physical ergonomics.

Metrics and Tests, Motion Planning and Control, and Simulation and Modeling appear to be the most sophisticated discussion themes for Cognitive and Organizational Ergonomics. Task scheduling strategy and assistance systems provide insignificant contributions. The development of an evaluation technique for robot acceptability and the establishment of an organizational framework for effective HRI operations performance are the major topics covered in Metrics and Tests. The primary topics for Motion Planning and Control are control tactics connected to cognitive components of HRI. The creation of virtual reality exploitation for the assessment of the cognitive aspects of HRI is one of the key topics covered in Simulation and Modeling.

The current trend in artificial cobotics is concentrated on developing flexible systems that enable safe and cooperative relations between humans and robots to negotiate colorful tasks. This growing trend encourages diligence to consider integrating similar cobotic systems into their being manufactories. In the coming times, cobots are anticipated to play a pivotal part and become the dominant technology for named operations, potentially filling the maturity of the remaining 90 of workstations. It's worth noting that a significant number of exploration studies have been devoted to addressing safety and security enterprises in cobotic systems, exercising different technologies and approaches to insure the well- being of mortal workers and the overall system integrity.

Table shown below Tables 2 and 3 concisely represents the entire summary of review of safety and ergonomics consisting both sub clusters for each.

Summary of literature related to Safety cluster of Collaborative robots:

Summary of literature related to Ergonomics cluster of Collaborative robots:

4 Conclusion

Over the past few years, industrial collaborative robotics has attracted a great deal of attention, and human–robot interaction (HRI) has become a vital area of study. This study did a thorough analysis of the literature and developed a tentative classification system, classifying and sub classifying significant works and new research in this field. This study's main goal was to identify and evaluate the burgeoning topics and research problems in safety and ergonomics in industrial collaborative robotics.

For each selected article, a summary was provided, outlining the problem addressed, the proposed approach, the main outcomes obtained, and potential future directions for research. The study also acknowledged the existence of a significant gap between the research carried out in laboratory settings and the practical implementation of cobotic technology in real industrial environments, particularly in the context of smart factories.

The findings of the review indicated that safety was the most extensively explored research category, although ergonomics has witnessed notable growth in recent years. Interestingly, the majority of high-level themes identified were more closely related to safety aspects rather than ergonomics. Within the realm of safety, there was a greater emphasis on prevention rather than protection measures.

Several difficulties and problems encountered by researchers studying HRI in industrial cobots were noted and emphasized towards the end of the work. Considering the continuous growth of the industrial collaborative robot market, these innovations hold promise for the implementation of collaborative production systems that are safe, ergonomic, trustworthy, and efficient.

Data availability

Not applicable.

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Patil, S., Vasu, V. & Srinadh, K.V.S. Advances and perspectives in collaborative robotics: a review of key technologies and emerging trends. Discov Mechanical Engineering 2 , 13 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44245-023-00021-8

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• NATURE INDEX
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Growth in AI and robotics research accelerates

It may not be unusual for burgeoning areas of science, especially those related to rapid technological changes in society, to take off quickly, but even by these standards the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been impressive. Together with robotics, AI is representing an increasingly significant portion of research volume at various levels, as these charts show.

Across the field

The number of AI and robotics papers published in the 82 high-quality science journals in the Nature Index (Count) has been rising year-on-year — so rapidly that it resembles an exponential growth curve. A similar increase is also happening more generally in journals and proceedings not included in the Nature Index, as is shown by data from the Dimensions database of research publications.

Source: Nature Index, Dimensions. Data analysis by Catherine Cheung; infographic by Simon Baker, Tanner Maxwell and Benjamin Plackett

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Five countries — the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and France — had the highest AI and robotics Share in the Nature Index from 2015 to 2021, with the United States leading the pack. China has seen the largest percentage change (1,174%) in annual Share over the period among the five nations.

AI and robotics infiltration

As the field of AI and robotics research grows in its own right, leading institutions such as Harvard University in the United States have increased their Share in this area since 2015. But such leading institutions have also seen an expansion in the proportion of their overall index Share represented by research in AI and robotics. One possible explanation for this is that AI and robotics is expanding into other fields, creating interdisciplinary AI and robotics research.

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The recent history of robotics is full of fascinating moments that accelerated the rapid technological advances in artificial intelligence , automation , engineering, energy storage, and machine learning. The result transformed the capabilities of robots and their ability to take over tasks once carried out by humans at factories, hospitals, farms, etc.

These technological advances don’t occur overnight; they require several years of research and development in solving some of the biggest engineering challenges in navigation, autonomy, AI and machine learning to build robots that are much safer and efficient in a real-world situation. A lot of universities, institutes, and companies across the world are working tirelessly in various research areas to make this reality.

In this post, we have listed 500+ recent research papers and projects for those who are interested in robotics. These free, downloadable research papers can shed lights into the some of the complex areas in robotics such as navigation, motion planning, robotic interactions, obstacle avoidance, actuators, machine learning, computer vision, artificial intelligence, collaborative robotics, nano robotics, social robotics, cloud, swan robotics, sensors, mobile robotics, humanoid, service robots, automation, autonomous, etc. Feel free to download. Share your own research papers with us to be added into this list. Also, you can ask a professional academic writer from  CustomWritings – research paper writing service  to assist you online on any related topic.

Navigation and Motion Planning

• Robotics Navigation Using MPEG CDVS
• Design, Manufacturing and Test of a High-Precision MEMS Inclination Sensor for Navigation Systems in Robot-assisted Surgery
• Motion Control of a Three Active Wheeled Mobile Robot and Collision-Free Human Following Navigation in Outdoor Environment
• One Point Perspective Vanishing Point Estimation for Mobile Robot Vision Based Navigation System
• Application of Ant Colony Optimization for finding the Navigational path of Mobile Robot-A Review
• Robot Navigation Using a Brain-Computer Interface
• Path Generation for Robot Navigation using a Single Ceiling Mounted Camera
• Exact Robot Navigation Using Power Diagrams
• Learning Socially Normative Robot Navigation Behaviors with Bayesian Inverse Reinforcement Learning
• Pipelined, High Speed, Low Power Neural Network Controller for Autonomous Mobile Robot Navigation Using FPGA
• Proxemics models for human-aware navigation in robotics: Grounding interaction and personal space models in experimental data from psychology
• Optimality and limit behavior of the ML estimator for Multi-Robot Localization via GPS and Relative Measurements
• Aerial Robotics: Compact groups of cooperating micro aerial vehicles in clustered GPS denied environment
• Disordered and Multiple Destinations Path Planning Methods for Mobile Robot in Dynamic Environment
• Integrating Modeling and Knowledge Representation for Combined Task, Resource and Path Planning in Robotics
• Path Planning With Kinematic Constraints For Robot Groups
• Robot motion planning for pouring liquids
• Implan: Scalable Incremental Motion Planning for Multi-Robot Systems
• Equilibrium Motion Planning of Humanoid Climbing Robot under Constraints
• POMDP-lite for Robust Robot Planning under Uncertainty
• The RoboCup Logistics League as a Benchmark for Planning in Robotics
• Planning-aware communication for decentralised multi- robot coordination
• Combined Force and Position Controller Based on Inverse Dynamics: Application to Cooperative Robotics
• A Four Degree of Freedom Robot for Positioning Ultrasound Imaging Catheters
• The Role of Robotics in Ovarian Transposition
• An Implementation on 3D Positioning Aquatic Robot

Robotic Interactions

• On Indexicality, Direction of Arrival of Sound Sources and Human-Robot Interaction
• OpenWoZ: A Runtime-Configurable Wizard-of-Oz Framework for Human-Robot Interaction
• Privacy in Human-Robot Interaction: Survey and Future Work
• An Analysis Of Teacher-Student Interaction Patterns In A Robotics Course For Kindergarten Children: A Pilot Study
• Human Robotics Interaction (HRI) based Analysis–using DMT
• A Cautionary Note on Personality (Extroversion) Assessments in Child-Robot Interaction Studies
• Interaction as a bridge between cognition and robotics
• State Representation Learning in Robotics: Using Prior Knowledge about Physical Interaction
• Eliciting Conversation in Robot Vehicle Interactions
• A Comparison of Avatar, Video, and Robot-Mediated Interaction on Users’ Trust in Expertise
• Exercising with Baxter: Design and Evaluation of Assistive Social-Physical Human- Robot Interaction
• Using Narrative to Enable Longitudinal Human- Robot Interactions
• Computational Analysis of Affect, Personality, and Engagement in HumanRobot Interactions
• Human-robot interactions: A psychological perspective
• Gait of Quadruped Robot and Interaction Based on Gesture Recognition
• Graphically representing child- robot interaction proxemics
• Interactive Demo of the SOPHIA Project: Combining Soft Robotics and Brain-Machine Interfaces for Stroke Rehabilitation
• Interactive Robotics Workshop
• Activating Robotics Manipulator using Eye Movements
• Wireless Controlled Robot Movement System Desgined using Microcontroller
• Gesture Controlled Robot using LabVIEW
• RoGuE: Robot Gesture Engine

Obstacle Avoidance

• Low Cost Obstacle Avoidance Robot with Logic Gates and Gate Delay Calculations
• Advanced Fuzzy Potential Field Method for Mobile Robot Obstacle Avoidance
• Controlling Obstacle Avoiding And Live Streaming Robot Using Chronos Watch
• Movement Of The Space Robot Manipulator In Environment With Obstacles
• Assis-Cicerone Robot With Visual Obstacle Avoidance Using a Stack of Odometric Data.
• Obstacle detection and avoidance methods for autonomous mobile robot
• Moving Domestic Robotics Control Method Based on Creating and Sharing Maps with Shortest Path Findings and Obstacle Avoidance
• Control of the Differentially-driven Mobile Robot in the Environment with a Non-Convex Star-Shape Obstacle: Simulation and Experiments
• A survey of typical machine learning based motion planning algorithms for robotics
• Linear Algebra for Computer Vision, Robotics , and Machine Learning
• Applying Radical Constructivism to Machine Learning: A Pilot Study in Assistive Robotics
• Machine Learning for Robotics and Computer Vision: Sampling methods and Variational Inference
• Rule-Based Supervisor and Checker of Deep Learning Perception Modules in Cognitive Robotics
• The Limits and Potentials of Deep Learning for Robotics
• Autonomous Robotics and Deep Learning
• A Unified Knowledge Representation System for Robot Learning and Dialogue

Computer Vision

• Computer Vision Based Chess Playing Capabilities for the Baxter Humanoid Robot
• Non-Euclidean manifolds in robotics and computer vision: why should we care?
• Topology of singular surfaces, applications to visualization and robotics
• On the Impact of Learning Hierarchical Representations for Visual Recognition in Robotics
• Focused Online Visual-Motor Coordination for a Dual-Arm Robot Manipulator
• Towards Practical Visual Servoing in Robotics
• Visual Pattern Recognition In Robotics
• Automated Visual Inspection: Position Identification of Object for Industrial Robot Application based on Color and Shape
• Automated Creation of Augmented Reality Visualizations for Autonomous Robot Systems
• Implementation of Efficient Night Vision Robot on Arduino and FPGA Board
• On the Relationship between Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Spatial Cognition for Robotics and Mobile Systems: Brief Survey and Current Open Challenges
• Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Its Impact on Society
• The Effects of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics on Business and Employment: Evidence from a survey on Japanese firms
• Artificially Intelligent Maze Solver Robot
• Artificial intelligence, Cognitive Robotics and Human Psychology
• Minecraft as an Experimental World for AI in Robotics
• Impact of Robotics, RPA and AI on the insurance industry: challenges and opportunities

Probabilistic Programming

• On the use of probabilistic relational affordance models for sequential manipulation tasks inrobotics
• Exploration strategies in developmental robotics: a unified probabilistic framework
• Probabilistic Programming for Robotics
• New design of a soft-robotics wearable elbow exoskeleton based on Shape Memory Alloy wires actuators
• Design of a Modular Series Elastic Upgrade to a Robotics Actuator
• Applications of Compliant Actuators to Wearing Robotics for Lower Extremity
• Review of Development Stages in the Conceptual Design of an Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator for Robotics
• Fluid electrodes for submersible robotics based on dielectric elastomer actuators
• Cascaded Control Of Compliant Actuators In Friendly Robotics

Collaborative Robotics

• Interpretable Models for Fast Activity Recognition and Anomaly Explanation During Collaborative Robotics Tasks
• Collaborative Work Management Using SWARM Robotics
• Collaborative Robotics : Assessment of Safety Functions and Feedback from Workers, Users and Integrators in Quebec
• Accessibility, Making and Tactile Robotics : Facilitating Collaborative Learning and Computational Thinking for Learners with Visual Impairments
• Trajectory Adaptation of Robot Arms for Head-pose Dependent Assistive Tasks

Mobile Robotics

• Experimental research of proximity sensors for application in mobile robotics in greenhouse environment.
• Multispectral Texture Mapping for Telepresence and Autonomous Mobile Robotics
• A Smart Mobile Robot to Detect Abnormalities in Hazardous Zones
• Simulation of nonlinear filter based localization for indoor mobile robot
• Integrating control science in a practical mobile robotics course
• Experimental Study of the Performance of the Kinect Range Camera for Mobile Robotics
• Planification of an Optimal Path for a Mobile Robot Using Neural Networks
• Security of Networking Control System in Mobile Robotics (NCSMR)
• Vector Maps in Mobile Robotics
• An Embedded System for a Bluetooth Controlled Mobile Robot Based on the ATmega8535 Microcontroller
• Experiments of NDT-Based Localization for a Mobile Robot Moving Near Buildings
• Hardware and Software Co-design for the EKF Applied to the Mobile Robotics Localization Problem
• Design of a SESLogo Program for Mobile Robot Control
• An Improved Ekf-Slam Algorithm For Mobile Robot
• Intelligent Vehicles at the Mobile Robotics Laboratory, University of Sao Paolo, Brazil [ITS Research Lab]
• Introduction to Mobile Robotics
• Miniature Piezoelectric Mobile Robot driven by Standing Wave
• Mobile Robot Floor Classification using Motor Current and Accelerometer Measurements
• Sensors for Robotics 2015
• An Automated Sensing System for Steel Bridge Inspection Using GMR Sensor Array and Magnetic Wheels of Climbing Robot
• Sensors for Next-Generation Robotics
• Multi-Robot Sensor Relocation To Enhance Connectivity In A WSN
• Automated Irrigation System Using Robotics and Sensors
• Design Of Control System For Articulated Robot Using Leap Motion Sensor
• Automated configuration of vision sensor systems for industrial robotics

Nano robotics

• Light Robotics: an all-optical nano-and micro-toolbox
• Light-driven Nano- robotics
• Light-driven Nano-robotics
• Light Robotics: a new tech–nology and its applications
• Light Robotics: Aiming towards all-optical nano-robotics
• NanoBiophotonics Appli–cations of Light Robotics
• System Level Analysis for a Locomotive Inspection Robot with Integrated Microsystems
• High-Dimensional Robotics at the Nanoscale Kino-Geometric Modeling of Proteins and Molecular Mechanisms
• A Study Of Insect Brain Using Robotics And Neural Networks

Social Robotics

• Integrative Social Robotics Hands-On
• ProCRob Architecture for Personalized Social Robotics
• Definitions and Metrics for Social Robotics, along with some Experience Gained in this Domain
• Transmedia Choreography: Integrating Multimodal Video Annotation in the Creative Process of a Social Robotics Performance Piece
• Co-designing with children: An approach to social robot design
• Toward Social Cognition in Robotics: Extracting and Internalizing Meaning from Perception
• Human Centered Robotics : Designing Valuable Experiences for Social Robots
• Preliminary system and hardware design for Quori, a low-cost, modular, socially interactive robot
• Socially assistive robotics: Human augmentation versus automation
• Tega: A Social Robot

Humanoid robot

• Compliance Control and Human-Robot Interaction – International Journal of Humanoid Robotics
• The Design of Humanoid Robot Using C# Interface on Bluetooth Communication
• An Integrated System to approach the Programming of Humanoid Robotics
• Humanoid Robot Slope Gait Planning Based on Zero Moment Point Principle
• Literature Review Real-Time Vision-Based Learning for Human-Robot Interaction in Social Humanoid Robotics
• The Roasted Tomato Challenge for a Humanoid Robot
• Remotely teleoperating a humanoid robot to perform fine motor tasks with virtual reality

Cloud Robotics

• CR3A: Cloud Robotics Algorithms Allocation Analysis
• Cloud Computing and Robotics for Disaster Management
• ABHIKAHA: Aerial Collision Avoidance in Quadcopter using Cloud Robotics
• The Evolution Of Cloud Robotics: A Survey
• Sliding Autonomy in Cloud Robotics Services for Smart City Applications
• CORE: A Cloud-based Object Recognition Engine for Robotics
• A Software Product Line Approach for Configuring Cloud Robotics Applications
• Cloud robotics and automation: A survey of related work
• ROCHAS: Robotics and Cloud-assisted Healthcare System for Empty Nester

Swarm Robotics

• Evolution of Task Partitioning in Swarm Robotics
• GESwarm: Grammatical Evolution for the Automatic Synthesis of Collective Behaviors in Swarm Robotics
• A Concise Chronological Reassess Of Different Swarm Intelligence Methods With Multi Robotics Approach
• The Swarm/Potential Model: Modeling Robotics Swarms with Measure-valued Recursions Associated to Random Finite Sets
• The TAM: ABSTRACTing complex tasks in swarm robotics research
• Task Allocation in Foraging Robot Swarms: The Role of Information Sharing
• Robotics on the Battlefield Part II
• Implementation Of Load Sharing Using Swarm Robotics
• An Investigation of Environmental Influence on the Benefits of Adaptation Mechanisms in Evolutionary Swarm Robotics

Soft Robotics

• Soft Robotics: The Next Generation of Intelligent Machines
• Soft Robotics: Transferring Theory to Application,” Soft Components for Soft Robots”
• Advances in Soft Computing, Intelligent Robotics and Control
• The BRICS Component Model: A Model-Based Development Paradigm For ComplexRobotics Software Systems
• Soft Mechatronics for Human-Friendly Robotics
• Seminar Soft-Robotics
• Special Issue on Open Source Software-Supported Robotics Research.
• Soft Brain-Machine Interfaces for Assistive Robotics: A Novel Control Approach
• Towards A Robot Hardware ABSTRACT ion Layer (R-HAL) Leveraging the XBot Software Framework

Service Robotics

• Fundamental Theories and Practice in Service Robotics
• Natural Language Processing in Domestic Service Robotics
• Localization and Mapping for Service Robotics Applications
• Designing of Service Robot for Home Automation-Implementation
• Benchmarking Speech Understanding in Service Robotics
• The Cognitive Service Robotics Apartment
• Planning with Task-oriented Knowledge Acquisition for A Service Robot
• Cognitive Robotics
• Meta-Morphogenesis theory as background to Cognitive Robotics and Developmental Cognitive Science
• Experience-based Learning for Bayesian Cognitive Robotics
• Weakly supervised strategies for natural object recognition in robotics
• Robotics-Derived Requirements for the Internet of Things in the 5G Context
• A Comparison of Modern Synthetic Character Design and Cognitive Robotics Architecture with the Human Nervous System
• PREGO: An Action Language for Belief-Based Cognitive Robotics in Continuous Domains
• The Role of Intention in Cognitive Robotics
• On Cognitive Learning Methodologies for Cognitive Robotics
• Relational Enhancement: A Framework for Evaluating and Designing Human-RobotRelationships
• A Fog Robotics Approach to Deep Robot Learning: Application to Object Recognition and Grasp Planning in Surface Decluttering
• Spatial Cognition in Robotics
• IOT Based Gesture Movement Recognize Robot
• Deliberative Systems for Autonomous Robotics: A Brief Comparison Between Action-oriented and Timelines-based Approaches
• Formal Modeling and Verification of Dynamic Reconfiguration of Autonomous RoboticsSystems
• Robotics on its feet: Autonomous Climbing Robots
• Implementation of Autonomous Metal Detection Robot with Image and Message Transmission using Cell Phone
• Toward autonomous architecture: The convergence of digital design, robotics, and the built environment
• Advances in Robotics Automation
• Data-centered Dependencies and Opportunities for Robotics Process Automation in Banking
• On the Combination of Gamification and Crowd Computation in Industrial Automation and Robotics Applications
• Advances in RoboticsAutomation
• Meshworm With Segment-Bending Anchoring for Colonoscopy. IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS. 2 (3) pp: 1718-1724.
• Recent Advances in Robotics and Automation
• Key Elements Towards Automation and Robotics in Industrialised Building System (IBS)
• Knowledge Building, Innovation Networks, and Robotics in Math Education
• The potential of a robotics summer course On Engineering Education
• Robotics as an Educational Tool: Impact of Lego Mindstorms
• Effective Planning Strategy in Robotics Education: An Embodied Approach
• An innovative approach to School-Work turnover programme with Educational Robotics
• The importance of educational robotics as a precursor of Computational Thinking in early childhood education
• Pedagogical Robotics A way to Experiment and Innovate in Educational Teaching in Morocco
• Learning by Making and Early School Leaving: an Experience with Educational Robotics
• Robotics and Coding: Fostering Student Engagement
• Computational Thinking with Educational Robotics
• New Trends In Education Of Robotics
• Educational robotics as an instrument of formation: a public elementary school case study
• Developmental Situation and Strategy for Engineering Robot Education in China University
• Towards the Humanoid Robot Butler
• YAGI-An Easy and Light-Weighted Action-Programming Language for Education and Research in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
• Simultaneous Tracking and Reconstruction (STAR) of Objects and its Application in Educational Robotics Laboratories
• The importance and purpose of simulation in robotics
• An Educational Tool to Support Introductory Robotics Courses
• Lollybot: Where Candy, Gaming, and Educational Robotics Collide
• Assessing the Impact of an Autonomous Robotics Competition for STEM Education
• Educational robotics for promoting 21st century skills
• New Era for Educational Robotics: Replacing Teachers with a Robotic System to Teach Alphabet Writing
• Robotics as a Learning Tool for Educational Transformation
• The Herd of Educational Robotic Devices (HERD): Promoting Cooperation in RoboticsEducation
• Robotics in physics education: fostering graphing abilities in kinematics
• Enabling Rapid Prototyping in K-12 Engineering Education with BotSpeak, a UniversalRobotics Programming Language
• Innovating in robotics education with Gazebo simulator and JdeRobot framework
• How to Support Students’ Computational Thinking Skills in Educational Robotics Activities
• Educational Robotics At Lower Secondary School
• Evaluating the impact of robotics in education on pupils’ skills and attitudes
• Imagining, Playing, and Coding with KIBO: Using Robotics to Foster Computational Thinking in Young Children
• How Does a First LEGO League Robotics Program Provide Opportunities for Teaching Children 21st Century Skills
• A Software-Based Robotic Vision Simulator For Use In Teaching Introductory Robotics Courses
• Robotics Practical
• A project-based strategy for teaching robotics using NI’s embedded-FPGA platform
• Teaching a Core CS Concept through Robotics
• Ms. Robot Will Be Teaching You: Robot Lecturers in Four Modes of Automated Remote Instruction
• Robotic Competitions: Teaching Robotics and Real-Time Programming with LEGO Mindstorms
• Visegrad Robotics Workshop-different ideas to teach and popularize robotics
• LEGO® Mindstorms® EV3 Robotics Instructor Guide
• DRAFT: for Automaatiop iv t22 MOKASIT: Multi Camera System for Robotics Monitoring and Teaching
• MOKASIT: Multi Camera System for Robotics Monitoring and Teaching
• Autonomous Robot Design and Build: Novel Hands-on Experience for Undergraduate Students
• Semi-Autonomous Inspection Robot
• Sumo Robot Competition
• Engagement of students with Robotics-Competitions-like projects in a PBL Bsc Engineering course
• Robo Camp K12 Inclusive Outreach Program: A three-step model of Effective Introducing Middle School Students to Computer Programming and Robotics
• The Effectiveness of Robotics Competitions on Students’ Learning of Computer Science
• Engaging with Mathematics: How mathematical art, robotics and other activities are used to engage students with university mathematics and promote
• Design Elements of a Mobile Robotics Course Based on Student Feedback
• Sixth-Grade Students’ Motivation and Development of Proportional Reasoning Skills While Completing Robotics Challenges
• Student Learning of Computational Thinking in A Robotics Curriculum: Transferrable Skills and Relevant Factors
• A Robotics-Focused Instructional Framework for Design-Based Research in Middle School Classrooms
• Transforming a Middle and High School Robotics Curriculum
• Geometric Algebra for Applications in Cybernetics: Image Processing, Neural Networks, Robotics and Integral Transforms
• Experimenting and validating didactical activities in the third year of primary school enhanced by robotics technology

Construction

• Bibliometric analysis on the status quo of robotics in construction
• AtomMap: A Probabilistic Amorphous 3D Map Representation for Robotics and Surface Reconstruction
• Robotic Design and Construction Culture: Ethnography in Osaka University’s Miyazaki Robotics Lab
• Infrastructure Robotics: A Technology Enabler for Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization, Habitat Construction and Maintenance
• A Planar Robot Design And Construction With Maple
• Robotics and Automations in Construction: Advanced Construction and FutureTechnology
• Why robotics in mining
• Examining Influences on the Evolution of Design Ideas in a First-Year Robotics Project
• Mining Robotics
• TIRAMISU: Technical survey, close-in-detection and disposal mine actions in Humanitarian Demining: challenges for Robotics Systems
• Robotics for Sustainable Agriculture in Aquaponics
• Design and Fabrication of Crop Analysis Agriculture Robot
• Enhance Multi-Disciplinary Experience for Agriculture and Engineering Students with Agriculture Robotics Project
• Work in progress: Robotics mapping of landmine and UXO contaminated areas
• Robot Based Wireless Monitoring and Safety System for Underground Coal Mines using Zigbee Protocol: A Review
• Minesweepers uses robotics’ awesomeness to raise awareness about landminesexplosive remnants of war
• Intelligent Autonomous Farming Robot with Plant Disease Detection using Image Processing
• Auotomatic Pick And Place Robot
• Video Prompting to Teach Robotics and Coding to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Bilateral Anesthesia Mumps After RobotAssisted Hysterectomy Under General Anesthesia: Two Case Reports
• Future Prospects of Artificial Intelligence in Robotics Software, A healthcare Perspective
• Designing new mechanism in surgical robotics
• Open-Source Research Platforms and System Integration in Modern Surgical Robotics
• Soft Tissue Robotics–The Next Generation
• CORVUS Full-Body Surgical Robotics Research Platform
• OP: Sense, a rapid prototyping research platform for surgical robotics
• Preoperative Planning Simulator with Haptic Feedback for Raven-II Surgical Robotics Platform
• Origins of Surgical Robotics: From Space to the Operating Room
• Accelerometer Based Wireless Gesture Controlled Robot for Medical Assistance using Arduino Lilypad
• The preliminary results of a force feedback control for Sensorized Medical Robotics
• Medical robotics Regulatory, ethical, and legal considerations for increasing levels of autonomy
• Robotics in General Surgery
• Evolution Of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Conventional Laparoscopy Torobotics
• Robust trocar detection and localization during robot-assisted endoscopic surgery
• How can we improve the Training of Laparoscopic Surgery thanks to the Knowledge in Robotics
• Discussion on robot-assisted laparoscopic cystectomy and Ileal neobladder surgery preoperative care
• Robotics in Neurosurgery: Evolution, Current Challenges, and Compromises
• Hybrid Rendering Architecture for Realtime and Photorealistic Simulation of Robot-Assisted Surgery
• Robotics, Image Guidance, and Computer-Assisted Surgery in Otology/Neurotology
• Neuro-robotics model of visual delusions
• Neuro-Robotics
• Robotics in the Rehabilitation of Neurological Conditions
• What if a Robot Could Help Me Care for My Parents
• A Robot to Provide Support in Stigmatizing Patient-Caregiver Relationships
• A New Skeleton Model and the Motion Rhythm Analysis for Human Shoulder Complex Oriented to Rehabilitation Robotics
• Towards Rehabilitation Robotics: Off-The-Shelf BCI Control of Anthropomorphic Robotic Arms
• Rehabilitation Robotics 2013
• Combined Estimation of Friction and Patient Activity in Rehabilitation Robotics
• Brain, Mind and Body: Motion Behaviour Planning, Learning and Control in view of Rehabilitation and Robotics
• Reliable Robotics – Diagnostics
• Robotics for Successful Ageing
• Upper Extremity Robotics Exoskeleton: Application, Structure And Actuation

Defence and Military

• Voice Guided Military Robot for Defence Application
• Design and Control of Defense Robot Based On Virtual Reality
• AI, Robotics and Cyber: How Much will They Change Warfare
• BORDER SECURITY ROBOT
• Brain Controlled Robot for Indian Armed Force
• Autonomous Military Robotics
• Wireless Restrained Military Discoursed Robot
• Bomb Detection And Defusion In Planes By Application Of Robotics
• Impacts Of The Robotics Age On Naval Force Design, Effectiveness, And Acquisition

Space Robotics

• Lego robotics teacher professional learning
• New Planar Air-bearing Microgravity Simulator for Verification of Space Robotics Numerical Simulations and Control Algorithms
• The Artemis Rover as an Example for Model Based Engineering in Space Robotics
• Rearrangement planning using object-centric and robot-centric action spaces
• Model-based Apprenticeship Learning for Robotics in High-dimensional Spaces
• Emergent Roles, Collaboration and Computational Thinking in the Multi-Dimensional Problem Space of Robotics
• Reaction Null Space of a multibody system with applications in robotics

Other Industries

• Robotics in clothes manufacture
• Recent Trends in Robotics and Computer Integrated Manufacturing: An Overview
• Application Of Robotics In Dairy And Food Industries: A Review
• Architecture for theatre robotics
• Human-multi-robot team collaboration for efficent warehouse operation
• A Robot-based Application for Physical Exercise Training
• Application Of Robotics In Oil And Gas Refineries
• Implementation of Robotics in Transmission Line Monitoring
• Intelligent Wireless Fire Extinguishing Robot
• Monitoring and Controlling of Fire Fighthing Robot using IOT
• Robotics An Emerging Technology in Dairy Industry
• Robotics and Law: A Survey
• Increasing ECE Student Excitement through an International Marine Robotics Competition
• Application of Swarm Robotics Systems to Marine Environmental Monitoring

Future of Robotics / Trends

• The future of Robotics Technology
• RoboticsAutomation Are Killing Jobs A Roadmap for the Future is Needed
• The next big thing (s) in robotics
• Robotics in Indian Industry-Future Trends
• The Future of Robot Rescue Simulation Workshop
• PreprintQuantum Robotics: Primer on Current Science and Future Perspectives
• Emergent Trends in Robotics and Intelligent Systems

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200+ Robotics Research Topics: Discovering Tomorrow’s Tech

• Post author By admin
• September 15, 2023

Explore cutting-edge robotics research topics and stay ahead of the curve with our comprehensive guide. Discover the latest advancements in the field today.

Robotics research topics are not like any other research topics. In these topics science fiction meets reality and innovation knows no bounds.

In this blog post we are going to explore some of the best robotics research topics that will help you to explore machine learning, artificial intelligence and many more.

Apart from that you will also explore the industries and the future of robotics. Whether you are an experienced engineering or a student of robotics, these project ideas will definitely help you to explore a lot more the dynamic and ever evolving world of robotics. So be ready to explore these topics:-

Table of Contents

Robotics Research Topics

Have a close look at robotics research topics:-

Autonomous Robots

• Development of an Autonomous Delivery Robot for Urban Environments
• Swarm Robotics for Agricultural Crop Monitoring and Maintenance
• Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for Indoor Navigation of Service Robots
• Human-Robot Interaction Study for Improved Robot Assistance in Healthcare
• Self-Driving Car Prototype with Advanced Perception and Decision-Making Algorithms
• Autonomous Aerial Surveillance Drones for Security Applications
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for Ocean Exploration
• Robotic Drones for Disaster Response and Search-and-Rescue Missions
• Autonomous Exploration Rover for Planetary Surfaces
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Precision Agriculture and Crop Analysis

Robot Manipulation and Grasping

• Object Recognition and Grasping Planning System for Warehouse Automation
• Cooperative Multi-Robot Manipulation for Assembly Line Tasks
• Tactile Sensing Integration for Precise Robotic Grasping
• Surgical Robot with Enhanced Precision and Control for Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Robotic System for Automated 3D Printing and Fabrication
• Robot-Assisted Cooking System with Object Recognition and Manipulation
• Robotic Arm for Hazardous Materials Handling and Disposal
• Biomechanically Inspired Robotic Finger Design for Grasping
• Multi-Arm Robotic System for Collaborative Manufacturing
• Development of a Dexterous Robotic Hand for Complex Object

Robot Vision and Perception:

• Object Detection and Recognition Framework for Robotic Inspection
• Deep Learning-Based Vision System for Real-time Object Recognition
• Human Activity Recognition Algorithm for Assistive Robots
• Vision-Based Localization and Navigation for Autonomous Vehicles
• Image Processing and Computer Vision for Robotic Surveillance
• Visual Odometry for Precise Mobile Robot Positioning
• Facial Recognition System for Human-Robot Interaction
• 3D Object Reconstruction from 2D Images for Robotic Mapping
• Autonomous Drone with Advanced Vision-Based Obstacle Avoidance
• Development of a Visual SLAM System for Autonomous Indoor navigation.

Human-Robot Collaboration

• Development of Robot Assistants for Elderly Care and Companionship
• Implementation of Collaborative Robots (Cobots) in Manufacturing Processes
• Shared Control Interfaces for Teleoperation of Remote Robots
• Ethics and Social Impact Assessment of Human-Robot Interaction
• Evaluation of User Interfaces for Robotic Assistants in Healthcare
• Human-Centric Design of Robotic Exoskeletons for Enhanced Mobility
• Enhancing Worker Safety in Industrial Settings through Human-Robot Collaboration
• Haptic Feedback Systems for Improved Teleoperation of Remote Robots
• Investigating Human Trust and Acceptance of Autonomous Robots in Daily Life
• Design and Testing of Safe and Efficient Human-Robot Collaborative Workstations

Bio-Inspired Robotics

• Biohybrid Robots Combining Biological and Artificial Components for Unique Functions
• Evolutionary Robotics Algorithms for Robot Behavior Optimization
• Swarm Robotics Inspired by Insect Behavior for Collective Tasks
• Design and Fabrication of Soft Robotics for Flexible and Adaptive Movement
• Biomimetic Robotic Fish for Underwater Exploration
• Biorobotics Research for Prosthetic Limb Design and Control
• Development of a Robotic Pollination System Inspired by Bees
• Bio-Inspired Flying Robots for Agile and Efficient Aerial Navigation
• Bio-Inspired Sensing and Localization Techniques for Robotic Applications
• Development of a Legged Robot with Biomimetic Locomotion Inspired by Animals

Robot Learning and AI

• Transfer Learning Strategies for Robotic Applications in Varied Environments
• Explainable AI Models for Transparent Robot Decision-Making
• Robot Learning from Demonstration (LfD) for Complex Tasks
• Machine Learning Algorithms for Predictive Maintenance of Industrial Robots
• Neural Network-Based Vision System for Autonomous Robot Learning
• Reinforcement Learning for UAV Swarms and Cooperative Flight
• Human-Robot Interaction Studies to Improve Robot Learning
• Natural Language Processing for Human-Robot Communication
• Robotic Systems with Advanced AI for Autonomous Exploration
• Implementation of Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Robotic Control

Robotics in Healthcare

• Design and Testing of Robotic Prosthetics and Exoskeletons for Enhanced Mobility
• Telemedicine Platform for Remote Robotic Medical Consultations
• Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation System for Physical Therapy
• Simulation-Based Training Environment for Robotic Surgical Skill Assessment
• Humanoid Robot for Social and Emotional Support in Healthcare Settings
• Autonomous Medication Dispensing Robot for Hospitals and Pharmacies
• Wearable Health Monitoring Device with AI Analysis
• Robotic Systems for Elderly Care and Fall Detection
• Surgical Training Simulator with Realistic Haptic Feedback
• Development of a Robotic Surgical Assistant for Minimally Invasive Procedures

Robots in Industry

• Quality Control and Inspection Automation with Robotic Systems
• Risk Assessment and Safety Measures for Industrial Robot Environments
• Human-Robot Collaboration Solutions for Manufacturing and Assembly
• Warehouse Automation with Robotic Pick-and-Place Systems
• Industrial Robot Vision Systems for Quality Assurance
• Integration of Cobots in Flexible Manufacturing Cells
• Robot Grippers and End-Effector Design for Specific Industrial Tasks
• Predictive Maintenance Strategies for Industrial Robot Fleet
• Robotics for Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement
• Robotic Automation in Manufacturing: Process Optimization and Integration

Robots in Space Exploration

• Precise Autonomous Spacecraft Navigation for Deep Space Missions
• Robotics for Satellite Servicing and Space Debris Removal
• Lunar and Martian Surface Exploration with Autonomous Robots
• Resource Utilization and Mining on Extraterrestrial Bodies with Robots
• Design and Testing of Autonomous Space Probes for Interstellar Missions
• Autonomous Space Telescopes for Astronomical Observations
• Robot-Assisted Lunar Base Construction and Maintenance
• Planetary Sample Collection and Return Missions with Robotic Systems
• Biomechanics and Human Factors Research for Astronaut-Robot Collaboration
• Autonomous Planetary Rovers: Mobility and Scientific Exploration

Environmental Robotics

• Environmental Monitoring and Data Collection Using Aerial Drones
• Robotics in Wildlife Conservation: Tracking and Protection of Endangered Species
• Disaster Response Robots: Search, Rescue, and Relief Operations
• Autonomous Agricultural Robots for Sustainable Farming Practices
• Autonomous Forest Fire Detection and Firefighting Robot Systems
• Monitoring and Rehabilitation of Coral Reefs with Robotic Technology
• Air Quality Monitoring and Pollution Detection with Mobile Robot Swarms
• Autonomous River and Marine Cleanup Robots
• Ecological Studies and Environmental Protection with Robotic Instruments
• Development of Underwater Robotic Systems for Ocean Exploration and Monitoring

These project ideas span a wide range of topics within robotics research, offering opportunities for innovation, exploration, and contribution to the field. Researchers, students, and enthusiasts can choose projects that align with their interests and expertise to advance robotics technology and its applications.

Robotics Research Topics for high school students

• Home Robots: Explore how robots can assist in daily tasks at home.
• Medical Robotics: Investigate robots used in surgery and patient care.
• Robotics in Education: Learn about robots teaching coding and science.
• Agricultural Robots: Study robots in farming for planting and monitoring.
• Space Exploration: Discover robots exploring planets and space.
• Environmental Robots: Explore robots in conservation and pollution monitoring.
• Ethical Questions: Discuss the ethical dilemmas in robotics.
• DIY Robot Projects: Build and program robots from scratch.
• Robot Competitions: Participate in exciting robotics competitions.
• Cutting-Edge Innovations: Stay updated on the latest in robotics.

These topics offer exciting opportunities for high school students to delve into robotics research, learning, and creativity.

Easy Robotics Research Topics 

Introduction to robotics.

Explore the basics of robotics, including robot components and their functions.

History of Robotics

Investigate the evolution of robotics from its beginnings to modern applications.

Robotic Sensors

Learn about various sensors used in robots for detecting and measuring data.

Simple Robot Building

Build a basic robot using kits or everyday materials and learn about its components.

Programming a Robot

Experiment with programming languages like Scratch or Blockly to control a robot’s movements.

Robots in Entertainment

Explore how robots are used in the entertainment industry, such as animatronics and robot performers.

Robotics in Toys

Investigate robotic toys and their mechanisms, such as remote-controlled cars and drones.

Robotic Pets

Learn about robotic pets like robot dogs and cats and their interactive features.

Robotics in Science Fiction

Analyze how robots are portrayed in science fiction movies and literature.

Robotic Safety

Explore safety measures and protocols when working with robots to prevent accidents.

These topics provide a gentle introduction to robotics research and are ideal for beginners looking to learn more about this exciting field.

Latest Research Topics in Robotics

The field of robotics is ever-evolving, with a plethora of exciting research topics at the forefront of exploration. Here are some of the latest and most intriguing areas of research in robotics:

Soft Robotics

Soft robots, crafted from flexible materials, can adapt to their surroundings, making them safer for human interaction and ideal for unstructured environments.

Robotic Swarms

Groups of robots working collectively toward a common objective, such as search and rescue missions, disaster relief efforts, and environmental monitoring.

Robotic Exoskeletons

Wearable devices designed to enhance human strength and mobility, offering potential benefits for individuals with disabilities, boosting worker productivity, and aiding soldiers in carrying heavier loads.

Medical Robotics

Robots play a vital role in various medical applications, including surgery, rehabilitation, and drug delivery, enhancing precision, reducing human error, and advancing healthcare practices.

Intelligent Robots

Intelligent robots have the ability to learn and adapt to their surroundings, enabling them to tackle complex tasks and interact naturally with humans.

These are just a glimpse of the thrilling research avenues within robotics. As the field continues to progress, we anticipate witnessing even more groundbreaking advancements and innovations in the years ahead.

What topics are in robotics?

Robotics basics.

Understanding the fundamental concepts of robotics, including robot components, kinematics, and control systems.

Robotics History

Exploring the historical development of robotics and its evolution into a multidisciplinary field.

Robot Sensors

Studying the various sensors used in robots for perception, navigation, and interaction with the environment.

Robot Actuators

Learning about the mechanisms and motors that enable robot movement and manipulation.

Robot Control

Understanding how robots are programmed and controlled, including topics like motion planning and trajectory generation.

Robot Mobility

Examining the different types of robot mobility, such as wheeled, legged, aerial, and underwater robots.

Artificial Intelligence in Robotics

Exploring the role of AI and machine learning in enhancing robot autonomy, decision-making, and adaptability.

Human-Robot Interaction

Investigating how robots can effectively interact with humans, including social and ethical considerations.

Robot Perception

Studying computer vision and other technologies that enable robots to perceive and interpret their surroundings.

Robotic Manipulation

Delving into robot arms, grippers, and manipulation techniques for tasks like object grasping and assembly.

Robot Localization and Mapping

Understanding methods for robot localization (knowing their position) and mapping (creating maps of their environment).

Robotics in Medicine

Exploring the use of robots in surgery, rehabilitation, and medical applications.

Analyzing the role of robots in manufacturing and automation, including industrial robot arms and cobots.

Learning about robots capable of making decisions and navigating autonomously in complex environments.

Robot Ethics

Examining ethical considerations related to robotics, including issues of privacy, safety, and AI ethics.

Exploring robots inspired by nature, such as those mimicking animal locomotion or behavior.

Robotic Applications

Investigating specific applications of robots in fields like agriculture, space exploration, entertainment, and more.

Robotics Research Trends

Staying updated on the latest trends and innovations in the field, such as soft robotics, swarm robotics, and intelligent agents.

These topics represent a broad spectrum of areas within robotics, each offering unique opportunities for research, development, and exploration.

What are your 10 robotics ideas?

Home assistant robot.

Build a robot that can assist with everyday tasks at home, like fetching objects, turning lights on and off, or even helping with cleaning.

Robotics in Agriculture

Create a robot for farming tasks, such as planting seeds, monitoring crop health, or even autonomous weed removal.

Autonomous Delivery Robot

Design a robot capable of delivering packages or groceries autonomously within a neighborhood or urban environment.

Search and Rescue Robot

Develop a robot that can navigate disaster-stricken areas to locate and assist survivors or relay important information to rescuers.

Robot Artist

Build a robot that can create art, whether it’s through painting, drawing, or even sculpture.

Underwater Exploration Robot

Construct a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for exploring the depths of the ocean and gathering data on marine life and conditions.

Robot for the Elderly

Create a companion robot for the elderly that can provide companionship, reminders for medication, and emergency assistance.

Educational Robot

Design a robot that can teach coding and STEM concepts to children in an engaging and interactive way.

Robotics in Space

Develop a robot designed for space exploration, such as a planetary rover or a robot for asteroid mining.

Design a lifelike robotic pet that can offer companionship and emotional support, especially for those unable to care for a real pet.

These project ideas span various domains within robotics, from practical applications to creative endeavors, offering opportunities for innovation and exploration.

What are the 7 biggest challenges in robotics?

Robot autonomy.

Imagine robots that can think for themselves, make decisions, and navigate complex, ever-changing environments like a seasoned explorer.

Robotic Senses

Picture robots with superhuman perception, able to see, hear, and understand the world around them as well as or even better than humans.

Human-Robot Harmony

Think of robots seamlessly working alongside us, understanding our needs, and being safe, friendly, and helpful companions.

Robotic Hands and Fingers

Envision robots with the dexterity of a skilled surgeon, capable of handling delicate and complex tasks with precision.

Robots on the Move

Imagine robots that can gracefully traverse all kinds of terrain, from busy city streets to rugged mountain paths.

Consider the ethical questions surrounding robots, like privacy, fairness, and the impact on employment, as we strive for responsible and beneficial AI.

Robot Teamwork

Visualize a world where robots from different manufacturers can effortlessly work together, just like a symphony orchestra playing in perfect harmony.

What are the 5 major fields of robotics?

Industrial wizards.

Think of robots working tirelessly on factory floors, welding, assembling, and ensuring top-notch quality in the products we use every day.

Helpful Companions

Imagine robots assisting us in non-industrial settings, from healthcare, where they assist in surgery and rehabilitation, to our homes, where they vacuum our floors and make life a little easier.

Mobile Marvels

Picture robots that can move and navigate on their own, exploring uncharted territories in space, performing search and rescue missions, or even delivering packages to our doorstep.

Human-Like Helpers

Envision robots that resemble humans, not just in appearance but also in their movements and interactions. These are the robots designed to understand and assist us in ways that feel natural.

AI-Powered Partners

Think of robots that aren’t just machines but intelligent partners. They learn from experience, adapt to different situations, and make decisions using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Let’s wrap up our robotics research topics. As we have seen that there is endless innovation in robotics research topics. That is why there are lots of robotics research topics to explore.

As the technology is innovating everyday and continuously evolving there are lots of new challenges and discoveries are emerging in the world of robotics.

With these robotics research topics you would explore a lot about the future endeavors of robotics.  These topics would also tap on your creativity and embrace your knowledge about robotics. So let’s implement these topics and feel the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i get involved in robotics research.

To get started in robotics research, you can pursue a degree in robotics, computer science, or a related field. Join robotics clubs, attend conferences, and seek out research opportunities at universities or tech companies.

Are there any ethical concerns in robotics research?

Yes, ethical concerns in robotics research include issues related to job displacement, privacy, and the use of autonomous weapons. Researchers are actively addressing these concerns to ensure responsible development.

What are the career prospects in robotics research?

Robotics research offers a wide range of career opportunities, including robotics engineer, AI specialist, data scientist, and robotics consultant. The field is constantly evolving, creating new job prospects.

How can robotics benefit society?

Robotics can benefit society by improving healthcare, increasing manufacturing efficiency, conserving the environment, and aiding in disaster response. It has the potential to enhance various aspects of our lives.

What is the role of AI in robotics research?

AI plays a crucial role in robotics research by enabling robots to make intelligent decisions, adapt to changing environments, and perform complex tasks. AI and robotics are closely intertwined, driving innovation in both fields.

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Robotics for Smart Farming

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Robotics in agriculture explores the potential of robotics and artificial intelligence to revolutionize the way farming is done. It looks at the possibilities for automation in crop production and livestock farming, as well as the implications for farming and rural communities. It examines the ways in which robotics could reduce costs, increase yields, and improve safety and sustainability. It also considers the potential risks and drawbacks associated with the use of robotics and AI in agriculture, such as the potential for job losses and the vulnerability of robotic systems to cyberattack. This Research Topic (Robotics for Smart Farming) aims to highlight the latest research in robotic technologies relevant to agriculture and farming processes. It will focus on agricultural robotics covering different fields of robotics, intelligent perception, manipulation, control, path planning, machine learning, and the applications of robotic and control systems in agriculture. The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the potential of robotics for smart farming and to bring together the latest developments in the field of robotics for agriculture and food production. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research and applications in this field, and to identify the challenges, opportunities and future trends in robotics for smart farming. We also aim to promote collaboration between researchers and practitioners, and to provide a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences. The scope of this Research Topic is to review the latest developments in the field of robotics for smart farming. We invite original research papers, review articles, and technical notes on topics related to the following, but not limited to: • Robotics and UAVs in Smart Farming • Robotics for crop production, harvesting, and post-harvest processing • Autonomous navigation and control of agricultural robots • Machine learning and artificial intelligence for agricultural robotics • Deep learning and reinforcement learning for agricultural robotics • Robotic Applications in Agriculture for Land Preparation before Planting • Robotic Applications in Agriculture for Sowing and Planting • Robotic Applications in Agriculture for Plant Treatment • Robotics for Yield Estimation and Phenotyping • Robotic Applications in Agriculture for Harvesting • Robotic Systems for Food Production • Robotic Livestock Farming • Robotic Fish Farming • Robotic Crop Plantation and Weeding • Robotic Harvesting • Robotic Crop Sensing and Monitoring • Robotic Disease Detection • Robotics in Precision Agriculture • Robotics in Food Processing • Social and ethical implications of robotics in agriculture

Keywords : Robotics, Smart Farming, Autonomous Navigation, Sensor Technologies, Machine Learning

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91 Robots Essay Topics & Robotics Topics to Research

🏆 best robotics essay topics, 🌶️ hot robots essay topics, 🎓 most interesting robotics research topics, 💡 simple robotics topics for essays, ❓ research questions about robotics.

• Whether Robots are Conscious or Not?
• Will Robots Reduce or Increase Human Employment Opportunities?
• Robotic Surgery
• In Support of Robotics Use in Agriculture
• Home Robotics in the Modern World
• Hypothesis Statement on Robotics
• Robotics, Its Merits and Demerits
• Drones and Robotic Technology Drone technology is an example of a cutting-edge technology. It is the end-result of combining or modifying earlier forms of scientific knowledge.
• The Dawn of Artificial Intelligence: Robots Robots were created by people to satisfy their large insatiable appetites. Such a sacrilegious act against the miracle of creation may cost a lot.
• The Advantages and Disadvantages of Robotic Surgeries Robotic or robot-assisted surgery is a new technology that allows surgeons to operate with better control, precision, and flexibility.
• Robots vs. Human Service in the Hotel Industry This paper explores studies relating to the effectiveness of robots used in hotel operations and discusses why robots are effective compared to human operations.
• Case of the Killer Robot: Ethical and Legal Issues This paper is to assess the stakeholders’ points of view, facts, ethical and legal norms related to the Case of the Killer Robot, and the possible options for its resolution.
• Robotics in Manufacturing: Social and Ethical Implications The field of robotics has been growing tremendously over the last three decades, as occasioned by the technological revolution of the late 20th century.
• Healthcare Robotics Impact Today, robotics enters many spheres of life, including education, social life, and healthcare. The use of robots in healthcare allows advancing patient care and achieving better health outcomes.
• Intelligent Robots, Their Benefits and Disadvantages The creation of aa thinking computer will require a lot of resources and are guaranteed to bring complex dilemmas and controversy into the world.
• The “Robots on Earth” Article by Jerry West “Robots on Earth” by Jerry West is a work of non-fiction that attempts to discuss the ways in which the perception of robots and AI are misrepresented within society.
• Practical Application of Robotics in Health Care Technological progress in robotics and artificial intelligence provides countless future prospects for addressing current healthcare issues.
• Integration of Robots in Hotel Services The automatic systems in the service industry are supposed to improve the level and the quality of the stay in the hotel.
• Pro-Forma Projected Expenses and Operating Costs for Robotics A pro-forma projected financial statement is a leveraging tool for hypothetical assumptions and data for the future value of a project’s performance.
• Will Robots Replace Dentists? The precision, and accuracy of robots, as well as their enhanced safety, make them an important tool in the provision of optimal dental care.
• Usage of AI and Robotics in Project Management Technological progress has allowed humanity to use the technologies they could not implement in the past centuries.
• Haptic Robots and Mediated Affective Touch This paper presents an overview of haptic robots, haptic contact for humans, potential uses of the touch robots and their benefits, and current technological application.
• Emerging Technology on Robotics in Surgery and Nanotechnology Robotics is particularly important in assisting doctors carry out very intricate surgical procedures. Robots are made by Nanorobotics technology.
• Da Vinci Robotic Technology in Healthcare The use of a robot-assisted surgical system the Da Vinci Robot has become an essential stage in the development of minimally invasive surgery, primarily in cancer treatment.
• Autonomous Space Robots Actualization The actualization of NASA’s idea of autonomous space robots with the capacity to repair and refuel satellites will pave the way for further developments and exploration.
• The Great Robot Race The thought of fully unmanned ground vehicles fascinates everyone with an interest in robotics and automation technologies.
• An Innovative Robotics Era: Review AI-powered technologies have been implemented in the retail sector for long decades, but a truly innovative robotics era is yet to come.
• The Practical Application of Robotics in Health Care The new digital solutions might facilitate more efficient and computerized management of work and provide continuous training for clinicians.
• The Robots Are Coming – For as Many as 800 Million Jobs As the technology of artificial intelligence swiftly develops, many business owners and corporations are eagerly pondering the possible ways of automation in their operations.
• “Robotic Kidney Transplantation: One Year After the Beginning”: Article Synopsis This article provides an overview of articles describing the kidney transplant process and how robotic systems facilitate the process and reduce the risk of an adverse outcome.
• Resisting Nature: Decision Analysis In The Robot’s Rebellion Stanovich implies that humanity is primarily driven by the relatively simple yet overwhelmingly powerful desire to replicate.
• Are We Already Robots or Not Yet? The thesis of this essay is that computer technology makes us robots who are unable to think and accept rational decisions by themselves.
• Robotic Technologies in the Healthcare Sector This paper will discuss the benefits of robotic technologies in the health care sector with a review of examples and personal experience.
• Soft Robot for Elderly Fall Prevention The NoFallsRob can be helpful in nursing homes and households where older people live. The system is mainly electricity-powered, but it can also have solar panels.
• Scientific Robotics Equipment Corporation’s Investment The paper aims to help the Assistant Production Manager of Scientific Robotics Equipment Corporation select the most profitable investment project.
• Nano Robotics in Hospitals Nanotechnology is believed to be extremely useful in health care to deliver medication through blood or treat various types of tumors.
• Ethical Questions Surrounding AI and Robots
• Industrial Robots and Manufacturing Automation
• Musical Robots and Interactive Multimodal Systems
• Robots Will Never Experience Emotion
• Interfacing Microprocessors and Simple Sensors in Robots
• Robotics and the History of Robots
• Designing Customizable and Programmable Robots
• Ethical Issues and Humanoid Robots
• Modularity and Sparsity: Evolution of Neural Net Controllers in Physically Embodied Robots
• The Fundamental Difference Between Robots and Humans
• Robots Are Increasingly Being Used in Surgical Procedures
• Robots Are Becoming More Like Human
• Robot-Assisted Surgery: Advantages and Disadvantages
• The Different Benefits Robots Will Have In Our Everyday Lives
• Robots Shouldn’t Replace Human Labor
• The History and Use of Robots in Industry
• Confidence-Based Progress-Driven Self-Generated Goals for Skill Acquisition in Developmental Robots
• Robots and Its Impact on Society
• Development of Anthropomorphic Emotion Expression and Interaction Robots
• Similarities And Differences Between Robots and Animal Pets
• Non Lethal Labor Robots and Automation Tax
• Possible Uses for Robots for Search and Rescue Missions
• The Benefits and Methodologies of Rescue Robots
• Concrete Structures Using Autonomous Robots
• The Ethical Issues Accompanied in Developing Robots
• Industrial Robots and Their Use in Manufacturing
• Benefits That Robots Bring to Society
• Technology and the Health Care Industry With Robots
• Military and Industrial Use of Robots
• Are Robots Beneficial for Society?
• How Do Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Change Our Lives?
• Can Humanoid Service Robots Perform Better Than Service Employees?
• Why Is Robotics Important in Today’s Society?
• How Does Medical Robotics Affect Healthcare Costs and Patients?
• Are Robots Stealing Our Jobs?
• How Are Robots Involved in Medicine?
• Will Robots and Humanoids Take Over the World?
• How Has Robotics Enhanced Our Lives?
• Are Robots Taking Control of Human Tasks?
• What’s the Difference Between Robotics and Artificial Intelligence?
• How Can Robots Affect Children’s Development?
• Are Robots the Solution to Equality in the Job Interview Process?
• What Science Is Involved in Robotics?
• How Can Robots Solve the Problem of Aging Population?
• Are Surgical Robots Really the Future of Medicine?
• How Will Autonomous Robots Change Military Tactics?
• Can Service Robots Hamper Customer Anger and Aggression After a Service Failure?
• How Can Robotics Help People?
• Will Robotics Have an Enormous Negative Impact on the Economy?
• How Is Robotics Advantageous in the Design and Manufacturing Sector?
• Why Is Robotics So Important in the Future?
• How Can the Advancement of Robotics Shape the World Today?
• What Are Some Important Developments in Robotics?
• Why Are Robotics Important in Production Lines?

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Natural language boosts LLM performance in coding, planning, and robotics

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Large language models (LLMs) are becoming increasingly useful for programming and robotics tasks, but for more complicated reasoning problems, the gap between these systems and humans looms large. Without the ability to learn new concepts like humans do, these systems fail to form good abstractions — essentially, high-level representations of complex concepts that skip less-important details — and thus sputter when asked to do more sophisticated tasks. Luckily, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) researchers have found a treasure trove of abstractions within natural language. In three papers to be presented at the International Conference on Learning Representations this month, the group shows how our everyday words are a rich source of context for language models, helping them build better overarching representations for code synthesis, AI planning, and robotic navigation and manipulation. The three separate frameworks build libraries of abstractions for their given task: LILO (library induction from language observations) can synthesize, compress, and document code; Ada (action domain acquisition) explores sequential decision-making for artificial intelligence agents; and LGA (language-guided abstraction) helps robots better understand their environments to develop more feasible plans. Each system is a neurosymbolic method, a type of AI that blends human-like neural networks and program-like logical components. LILO: A neurosymbolic framework that codes Large language models can be used to quickly write solutions to small-scale coding tasks, but cannot yet architect entire software libraries like the ones written by human software engineers. To take their software development capabilities further, AI models need to refactor (cut down and combine) code into libraries of succinct, readable, and reusable programs. Refactoring tools like the previously developed MIT-led Stitch algorithm can automatically identify abstractions, so, in a nod to the Disney movie “Lilo & Stitch,” CSAIL researchers combined these algorithmic refactoring approaches with LLMs. Their neurosymbolic method LILO uses a standard LLM to write code, then pairs it with Stitch to find abstractions that are comprehensively documented in a library. LILO’s unique emphasis on natural language allows the system to do tasks that require human-like commonsense knowledge, such as identifying and removing all vowels from a string of code and drawing a snowflake. In both cases, the CSAIL system outperformed standalone LLMs, as well as a previous library learning algorithm from MIT called DreamCoder, indicating its ability to build a deeper understanding of the words within prompts. These encouraging results point to how LILO could assist with things like writing programs to manipulate documents like Excel spreadsheets, helping AI answer questions about visuals, and drawing 2D graphics.

“Language models prefer to work with functions that are named in natural language,” says Gabe Grand SM '23, an MIT PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science, CSAIL affiliate, and lead author on the research. “Our work creates more straightforward abstractions for language models and assigns natural language names and documentation to each one, leading to more interpretable code for programmers and improved system performance.”

When prompted on a programming task, LILO first uses an LLM to quickly propose solutions based on data it was trained on, and then the system slowly searches more exhaustively for outside solutions. Next, Stitch efficiently identifies common structures within the code and pulls out useful abstractions. These are then automatically named and documented by LILO, resulting in simplified programs that can be used by the system to solve more complex tasks.

The MIT framework writes programs in domain-specific programming languages, like Logo, a language developed at MIT in the 1970s to teach children about programming. Scaling up automated refactoring algorithms to handle more general programming languages like Python will be a focus for future research. Still, their work represents a step forward for how language models can facilitate increasingly elaborate coding activities. Ada: Natural language guides AI task planning Just like in programming, AI models that automate multi-step tasks in households and command-based video games lack abstractions. Imagine you’re cooking breakfast and ask your roommate to bring a hot egg to the table — they’ll intuitively abstract their background knowledge about cooking in your kitchen into a sequence of actions. In contrast, an LLM trained on similar information will still struggle to reason about what they need to build a flexible plan. Named after the famed mathematician Ada Lovelace, who many consider the world’s first programmer, the CSAIL-led “Ada” framework makes headway on this issue by developing libraries of useful plans for virtual kitchen chores and gaming. The method trains on potential tasks and their natural language descriptions, then a language model proposes action abstractions from this dataset. A human operator scores and filters the best plans into a library, so that the best possible actions can be implemented into hierarchical plans for different tasks. “Traditionally, large language models have struggled with more complex tasks because of problems like reasoning about abstractions,” says Ada lead researcher Lio Wong, an MIT graduate student in brain and cognitive sciences, CSAIL affiliate, and LILO coauthor. “But we can combine the tools that software engineers and roboticists use with LLMs to solve hard problems, such as decision-making in virtual environments.”

When the researchers incorporated the widely-used large language model GPT-4 into Ada, the system completed more tasks in a kitchen simulator and Mini Minecraft than the AI decision-making baseline “Code as Policies.” Ada used the background information hidden within natural language to understand how to place chilled wine in a cabinet and craft a bed. The results indicated a staggering 59 and 89 percent task accuracy improvement, respectively. With this success, the researchers hope to generalize their work to real-world homes, with the hopes that Ada could assist with other household tasks and aid multiple robots in a kitchen. For now, its key limitation is that it uses a generic LLM, so the CSAIL team wants to apply a more powerful, fine-tuned language model that could assist with more extensive planning. Wong and her colleagues are also considering combining Ada with a robotic manipulation framework fresh out of CSAIL: LGA (language-guided abstraction). Language-guided abstraction: Representations for robotic tasks Andi Peng SM ’23, an MIT graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science and CSAIL affiliate, and her coauthors designed a method to help machines interpret their surroundings more like humans, cutting out unnecessary details in a complex environment like a factory or kitchen. Just like LILO and Ada, LGA has a novel focus on how natural language leads us to those better abstractions. In these more unstructured environments, a robot will need some common sense about what it’s tasked with, even with basic training beforehand. Ask a robot to hand you a bowl, for instance, and the machine will need a general understanding of which features are important within its surroundings. From there, it can reason about how to give you the item you want. 

In LGA’s case, humans first provide a pre-trained language model with a general task description using natural language, like “bring me my hat.” Then, the model translates this information into abstractions about the essential elements needed to perform this task. Finally, an imitation policy trained on a few demonstrations can implement these abstractions to guide a robot to grab the desired item. Previous work required a person to take extensive notes on different manipulation tasks to pre-train a robot, which can be expensive. Remarkably, LGA guides language models to produce abstractions similar to those of a human annotator, but in less time. To illustrate this, LGA developed robotic policies to help Boston Dynamics’ Spot quadruped pick up fruits and throw drinks in a recycling bin. These experiments show how the MIT-developed method can scan the world and develop effective plans in unstructured environments, potentially guiding autonomous vehicles on the road and robots working in factories and kitchens.

“In robotics, a truth we often disregard is how much we need to refine our data to make a robot useful in the real world,” says Peng. “Beyond simply memorizing what’s in an image for training robots to perform tasks, we wanted to leverage computer vision and captioning models in conjunction with language. By producing text captions from what a robot sees, we show that language models can essentially build important world knowledge for a robot.” The challenge for LGA is that some behaviors can’t be explained in language, making certain tasks underspecified. To expand how they represent features in an environment, Peng and her colleagues are considering incorporating multimodal visualization interfaces into their work. In the meantime, LGA provides a way for robots to gain a better feel for their surroundings when giving humans a helping hand. 

An “exciting frontier” in AI

“Library learning represents one of the most exciting frontiers in artificial intelligence, offering a path towards discovering and reasoning over compositional abstractions,” says assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Robert Hawkins, who was not involved with the papers. Hawkins notes that previous techniques exploring this subject have been “too computationally expensive to use at scale” and have an issue with the lambdas, or keywords used to describe new functions in many languages, that they generate. “They tend to produce opaque 'lambda salads,' big piles of hard-to-interpret functions. These recent papers demonstrate a compelling way forward by placing large language models in an interactive loop with symbolic search, compression, and planning algorithms. This work enables the rapid acquisition of more interpretable and adaptive libraries for the task at hand.” By building libraries of high-quality code abstractions using natural language, the three neurosymbolic methods make it easier for language models to tackle more elaborate problems and environments in the future. This deeper understanding of the precise keywords within a prompt presents a path forward in developing more human-like AI models. MIT CSAIL members are senior authors for each paper: Joshua Tenenbaum, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences, for both LILO and Ada; Julie Shah, head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, for LGA; and Jacob Andreas, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, for all three. The additional MIT authors are all PhD students: Maddy Bowers and Theo X. Olausson for LILO, Jiayuan Mao and Pratyusha Sharma for Ada, and Belinda Z. Li for LGA. Muxin Liu of Harvey Mudd College was a coauthor on LILO; Zachary Siegel of Princeton University, Jaihai Feng of the University of California at Berkeley, and Noa Korneev of Microsoft were coauthors on Ada; and Ilia Sucholutsky, Theodore R. Sumers, and Thomas L. Griffiths of Princeton were coauthors on LGA.  LILO and Ada were supported, in part, by ​​MIT Quest for Intelligence, the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, Intel, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the U.S. Office of Naval Research, with the latter project also receiving funding from the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines. LGA received funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, Open Philanthropy, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

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Robotic system feeds people with severe mobility limitations

Cornell researchers have developed a robotic feeding system that uses computer vision, machine learning and multimodal sensing to safely feed people with severe mobility limitations, including those with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.

"Feeding individuals with severe mobility limitations with a robot is difficult, as many cannot lean forward and require food to be placed directly inside their mouths," said Tapomayukh "Tapo" Bhattacharjee, assistant professor of computer science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science and senior developer behind the system. "The challenge intensifies when feeding individuals with additional complex medical conditions."

A paper on the system, "Feel the Bite: Robot-Assisted Inside-Mouth Bite Transfer using Robust Mouth Perception and Physical Interaction-Aware Control," was presented at the Human Robot Interaction conference, held March 11-14, in Boulder, Colorado. It received a Best Paper Honorable Mention recognition, while a demo of the research team's broader robotic feeding system received a Best Demo Award.

A leader in assistive robotics, Bhattacharjee and his EmPRISE Lab have spent years teaching machines the complex process by which we humans feed ourselves. It's a complicated challenge to teach a machine -- everything from identifying food items on a plate, picking them up and then transferring it inside the mouth of a care recipient.

"This last 5 centimeters, from the utensil to inside the mouth, is extremely challenging," Bhattacharjee said.

Some care recipients may have very limited mouth openings, measuring less than 2 centimeters, while others experience involuntary muscle spasms that can occur unexpectedly, even when the utensil is inside their mouth, Bhattacharjee said. Further, some can only bite food at specific locations inside their mouth, which they indicate by pushing the utensil using their tongue, he said.

"Current technology only looks at a person's face once and assumes they will remain still, which is often not the case and can be very limiting for care recipients," said Rajat Kumar Jenamani, the paper's lead author and a doctoral student in the field of computer science.

To address these challenges, researchers developed and outfitted their robot with two essential features: real-time mouth tracking that adjusts to users' movements, and a dynamic response mechanism that enables the robot to detect the nature of physical interactions as they occur, and react appropriately. This enables the system to distinguish between sudden spasms, intentional bites and user attempts to manipulate the utensil inside their mouth, researchers said.

The robotic system successfully fed 13 individuals with diverse medical conditions in a user study spanning three locations: the EmPRISE Lab on the Cornell Ithaca campus, a medical center in New York City, and a care recipient's home in Connecticut. Users of the robot found it to be safe and comfortable, researchers said.

"This is one of the most extensive real-world evaluations of any autonomous robot-assisted feeding system with end-users," Bhattacharjee said.

The team's robot is a multi-jointed arm that holds a custom-built utensil at the end that can sense the forces being applied on it. The mouth tracking method -- trained on thousands of images featuring various participants' head poses and facial expressions -- combines data from two cameras positioned above and below the utensil. This allows for precise detection of the mouth and overcomes any visual obstructions caused by the utensil itself, researchers said. This physical interaction-aware response mechanism uses both visual and force sensing to perceive how users are interacting with the robot, Jenamani said.

"We're empowering individuals to control a 20-pound robot with just their tongue," he said.

He cited the user studies as the most gratifying aspect of the project, noting the significant emotional impact of the robot on the care recipients and their caregivers. During one session, the parents of a daughter with schizencephaly quadriplegia, a rare birth defect, witnessed her successfully feed herself using the system.

"It was a moment of real emotion; her father raised his cap in celebration, and her mother was almost in tears," Jenamani said.

While further work is needed to explore the system's long-term usability, its promising results highlight the potential to improve care recipients' level of independence and quality of life, researchers said.

"It's amazing," Bhattacharjee said, "and very, very fulfilling."

Paper co-authors are: Daniel Stabile, M.S. '23; Ziang Liu, a doctoral student in the field of computer science; Abrar Anwar of the University of South California, and Katherine Dimitropoulou of Columbia University.

This research was funded primarily by the National Science Foundation.

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Materials provided by Cornell University . Original written by Louis DiPietro, courtesy of the Cornell Chronicle. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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OMRON SINIC X Six Research Papers Accepted for ICRA 2024, Top-Tier Conference on Robotics

• May 10, 2024

OMRON SINIC X Corporation (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masaki Suwa; hereinafter referred to as "OSX") is pleased to announce that six of its research papers have been accepted for publication at the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robots and Automation (ICRA 2024).

ICRA is one of the largest and most influential international conferences on robotics and automation. A total of 1,765 papers (about 45%) were accepted out of 3,937 submissions in 2024. The conference will be held in Yokohama, Japan, from May 13 to 17, 2024. Our papers present research robots that understand work intentions based on linguistic and scene observations, move flexibly like humans, or autonomously cooperate with other robots. For details, please confirm the link of each paper accepted for ICRA 2024.

■Paper accepted for ICRA 2024 *All presentation times are in local time *Affiliation at the time of submission

1. Vision-Language Interpreter for Robot Task Planning

2. An Electromagnetism-Inspired Method for Estimating In-Grasp Torque from Visuotactile Sensors

3. SliceIt! - A Dual Simulator Framework for Learning Robot Food Slicing

4. When to Replan? an Adaptive Replanning Strategy for Autonomous Navigation Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

5. Symmetry-aware Reinforcement Learning for Robotic Assembly under Partial Observability with a Soft Wrist

6. Benchmarking Actor-Critic Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Robotics Control with Action Constraints

For a list of OSX's publications, please visit https://www.omron.com/global/en/technology/publications/?affiliation=%5B%22OSX%22%5D

About OMRON SINIC X Corporation OMRON SINIC X Corporation is a strategic subsidiary seeking to realize the "near future designs" that OMRON forecasts. It is comprised of researchers with cutting-edge knowledge and experience across a wide range of technological domains, including AI, Robotics, IoT, and sensing. With the aim of addressing social issues, OSX integrates innovative technologies with business models and strategies in technology and IP to create near-future designs. Additionally, the company accelerates the creation of these designs through collaborative research with universities and external research institutions. For more details, please refer to https://www.omron.com/sinicx/en/

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May 6, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

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Identifying priorities to leverage smart digital technologies for sustainable crop production

by Katrin Piecha, University of Bonn

Drones monitoring fields for weeds and robots targeting and treating crop diseases may sound like science fiction but is actually happening already, at least on some experimental farms. Researchers from the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn are working on driving forward the smart digitalization of agriculture and have now published a list of the research questions that will need to be tackled as a priority in the future. Their paper appears in the European Journal of Agronomy .

That the Earth feeds over 8 billion people nowadays is thanks, not least, to modern high-performance agriculture. However, this success comes at a high cost. Current cultivation methods are threatening biodiversity, while the production of synthetic fertilizers generates greenhouse gases, and agricultural chemicals are polluting bodies of water and the environment.

Many of these problems can be mitigated by using more targeted methods, e.g., by only applying herbicides to those patches of a field where weeds are actually becoming a problem rather than treating the whole area. Other possibilities are to treat diseased crops individually and only to apply fertilizer where it is really needed. Yet strategies like these are extremely complicated and virtually impossible to manage at scale by conventional means.

Harnessing high tech and AI to become more sustainable and efficient

"One answer could be to use smart digital technologies," explains Hugo Storm, a member of the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence. The University of Bonn has partnered with Forschungszentrum Jülich, the Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing in Sankt Augustin, the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research in Müncheberg and the Institute of Sugar Beet Research in Göttingen on the large-scale project geared toward making farming more efficient and more environmentally friendly using new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

The researchers hail from all manner of different fields, including ecology, plant sciences, soil sciences, computer science, robotics, geodesy and agricultural economics. In their recently published position paper, they set out the steps that they believe have to be tackled as a priority in the short term.

"We've identified a few key research questions," Storm says. One of these relates to monitoring farmland to spot any nutrient deficiency, weed growth, or pest infestations in real time. Satellite images provide a rough overview, while drones or robots enable much more detailed monitoring. The latter can cover a whole field systematically and even record the condition of individual plants in the process.

"One difficulty lies in linking all these pieces of information together," says Storm's colleague Sabine Seidel, who coordinated the publication together with him: "For example, when will a low resolution be sufficient? When do things need to get more detailed? How do drones need to fly in order to achieve maximum efficiency in getting a look at all the crops, particularly those at risk?"

The data obtained provides a picture of the current situation. However, farmers are chiefly interested in weighing up various potential strategies and their possible implications: how many weeds can my crop withstand, and when do I need to intervene? Where do I need to apply fertilizer, and how much should I put down? What would happen if I used less pesticide?

"To answer questions like these, you have to create digital copies of your farmland, as it were," Seidel explains. "There are several ways to do this. Something that researchers still need to find out is how to combine the various approaches to get more accurate models." Suitable methods also need to be developed to formulate recommendations for action based on these models. Techniques borrowed from machine learning and AI have a major role to play in both these areas.

Farmers have to be on board

If crop production is actually to embrace this digital revolution, however, the people who will actually be putting it into action—the farmers—will also need to be convinced of its benefits. "Going forward, we'll have to focus more on the question of what underlying conditions are needed to secure this acceptance," says Professor Heiner Kuhlmann, a geodesist and one of the Cluster of Excellence's two speakers alongside the head of its robotics group Professor Cyrill Stachniss.

"You could offer financial incentives or set legal limits on using fertilizer, for instance." The effectiveness of tools like these, either on their own or in combination, can likewise be gauged nowadays using computer models.

In their paper, the researchers from PhenoRob also use examples to demonstrate what current technologies are already capable of doing. For instance, a "digital twin" of areas under cultivation can be created and fed a steady stream of various kinds of data with the help of sensors, e.g., to detect root growth or the release of gaseous nitrogen compounds from the soil.

"In the medium term, this will enable levels of nitrogen fertilizer being applied to be adapted to crops' needs in real time depending on how nutrient-rich a particular spot is," Professor Stachniss adds. In some places, therefore, the digital revolution in agriculture is already closer than one might think.

Provided by University of Bonn

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