Enhancing Worker Situational Awareness with Collaborative Robotics: Future Directions and Challenges in the Semiconductor Industry

Abstract

Organizations have long-established protocols to handle workplace hazards and ensure worker's safety. These include wearing protective gear, safe lifting techniques, using labels and signs, taking breaks, using appropriate tools, reporting unsafe conditions, and maintaining vigilance. Despite such safety measures, workplace accidents persist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), there were 2.6 million nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the private sector in 2021. Additionally, the International Labor Organization (ILO) (2022) estimates that 2.3 million people worldwide succumb to work-related accidents or diseases annually—amounting to over 6,000 deaths each day. Given these statistics, situational awareness has gained attention as a crucial factor in workplace safety.Situational awareness refers to a worker's ability to be mindful of their surroundings, understand where they are and where they should be, and recognize potential threats to their safety and health.  This study proposes that more is needed while situational awareness is vital for worker safety. Enhancing situational awareness by deploying Cobots could be more effective in improving safety outcomes. Thus, the primary aim of this research is to investigate how collaborative robots can improve situational awareness in the workplace, specifically within the semiconductor industry. This study will address the following research questions:1. How do workers react to Cobots assisting in the movement of objects and materials in the semiconductor industry?2. Are workers confident when Cobots perform inspection tasks in the semiconductor industry?3. Do workers feel safer when Cobots are used to detect hazards in the semiconductor industry?