The AI-PRISM project is co-organising the Workshop #32: Close Encounters of the Digital Kind – (Re)defining Alliances between Humans and AI-enhanced Cobots, an event dedicated to exploring how AI-driven collaborative robots (cobots) can transform human-robot interactions, along with the projects FLUENTLY, SOPRANO, and FORTIS.
This session, organised by Francisco Fraile (Universitat Politècnica de València), Oliver Avram (SUPSI), Leire Bastida (TECNALIA), Fernando Castaño (CSIC), and Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (Profactor GmbH), will bring together experts from AI-PRISM, FLUENTLY, SOPRANO, and FORTIS to discuss the evolving role of AI in making cobots more intelligent, responsive, and adaptable to human needs.
The workshop will delve into three essential attributes of AI-enhanced cobots: IQ (Intelligence Quotient), focusing on how cognitive adaptability enables cobots to function as digital companions; AQ (Action Quotient), examining how AI systems transition from tools to fully integrated teammates; and EQ (Emotional Quotient), addressing how trust and empathy can be built into human-robot collaboration. These discussions will revolve around the design, integration, and ethical considerations necessary to create safe, reliable, and efficient robotic systems that work seamlessly alongside human workers in complex industrial settings.
Beyond theoretical discussions, the workshop will feature an interactive session using the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT), where participants will collaboratively design a robotic system, making real-time decisions about AI integration, trust-building, and intuitive programming. Attendees will assess scenario-based solutions inspired by real-world pilot cases from the participating projects, fostering a practical understanding of how AI-driven cobots can enhance workplace safety, efficiency, and human-machine cooperation.
Workshop Agenda
00:00 – 00:30 (30 minutes) – Introduction & Impulse Talks
- Opening Statements (3 minutes) – Overview of the session’s objectives.
- Impulse Talks (3 x 9 minutes):
- IQ (Smart): What cognitive shift is needed for cobots to act as adaptive digital companions? Discussion on problem-solving abilities, reasoning skills, and context awareness of AI-enhanced cobots.
- AQ (Resourceful): How can cobots transition from tools to collaborative teammates? Analysis of AI-driven cobots evolving to perform shared tasks with agility, precision, and dexterity while ensuring real-time safety and risk management.
- EQ (Empathic): Can we rely on our digital counterparts? Exploring trust-based human-robot relationships, including how cobots interpret voice, facial expressions, and behavior to foster a sense of security in collaborative tasks.
00:30 – 00:70 (40 minutes) – Interactive Activity
- Introduction (5 minutes) – Explanation of the interactive session.
- Interactive Session (30-35 minutes):
- Participants will be provided with IF-AT scratch cards containing feature descriptions, rating scales, and open-ended brainstorming sections.
- Teams will collaborate on designing a robotic system, making scenario-based decisions regarding AI integration, trust, and intuitive programming.
- Groups will rate the features to be included in their solution and propose additional features to develop unique, collaborative human-robot interaction solutions.
00:70 – 00:80 (10 minutes) – Wrap-up & Conclusions
- Summary of findings – Key takeaways from the interactive activity.
- Concluding discussion – Identification of functional modules essential for developing human-robot collaboration frameworks.
- Presentation of the Human-Robot Collaboration Blueprint, outlining the cognitive, physical, and empathic skills required for next-generation AI-enhanced cobots.
Intended Outcomes
- Identify key functional modules required for cobots to adapt, interact, and collaborate effectively.
- Develop a Human-Robot Collaboration Blueprint, providing a structured approach to integrating trust, adaptability, and intuitive programming in AI-driven robotic systems.
- Explore solutions inspired by real-world pilots from participating projects, ensuring practical relevance for industrial applications.
This workshop represents a crucial step in bridging the gap between AI research and industrial applications, reinforcing AI-PRISM’s mission to develop trustworthy, human-centric AI solutions that redefine the future of work and intelligent automation.