Human-Robot Workforce

This program is led by Queensland University of Technology with all four projects based there.

Program Co-Leads

• Greg Hearn (QUT)
• Penny Williams (QUT)

Program Postdoctoral Research Fellow

• Dr Melinda Laundon (QUT)

Transformations driven by market globalisation, mass customisation and the use of cyber-physical systems and digitisation are changing the skills and capabilities required of managers and the advanced manufacturing workforce.

The contemporary workforce can be characterised as male, low-to-medium skilled and ageing, with a shortage of available workers. On-the-job coordination between robots and human workers have provided partial solutions to challenges across the sector. However, deployment of collaborative robots demands new and higher order skills, new managerial capabilities and a more diverse workforce profile.

The projects aim to answer research questions associated with: future skills; design and safety of jobs of the future; managing workplace readiness for the successful implementation of collaborative robotics; and the benefits of greater workforce diversity and longevity.

The Projects will be conducted within and between organisational partners and job categories. The findings will thus address emerging issues at the job, organisation and industry levels and be transferable across the manufacturing sector.

Learn more about the researchers participating in this program.

Learn more about the research projects that are part of this program.