Human Performance in Human–Robot Interaction Contexts: Results from an Experimental Study

This paper presents the results of an experimental study conducted in the field of human–robot interaction (HRI) aimed at evaluating the impact of the presence of a robot on human performance. Experiments were carried out in a virtual reality (VR) environment and were about a disassembly-reassembly task in the aerospace field. A sample of 78 engineering students participated in the project, divided into two subgroups, one working in co-existence with a robot and the other performing the same task without the presence of the robot. The parameter monitored during the experiments to compare the groups was the total completion time of the disassembly-reassembly task. The results obtained show that the two groups have similar behaviour. Statistically, there are no significant differences between the groups, and qualitative analyses show very similar behaviour concerning the learning experience on the task.