Leveraging Machine Learning and Wearable Sensor for Cognitive Risk Assessments in Human-Wearable Robot Interactions
摘要
Significant safety challenges continue to persist in the construction industry despite several efforts to mitigate them. To address this, the industry has started exploring the potential of wearable robots owing to their ability to augment human capabilities, often resulting in increased safety, productivity, and efficiency. However, studies have revealed that while wearable robots offer significant safety and productivity benefits, potential safety challenges can occur in tasks involving human-wearable robot interactions. Hence, to ensure the effective integration of wearable robots in the construction industry, the potential safety challenges, such as impacts on workers’ cognitive load, must be seamlessly explored. While studies have focused on the potential benefits of wearable robots for the construction industry, scarce information exists as to how safety challenges posed by wearable robots can be effectively mitigated. This study presents machine learning models using data from wearable sensors to predict the cognitive risks faced by workers during physically intensive tasks like masonry. Thirteen participants performed masonry tasks with the use of a wearable robot and physiological sensors to assess cognitive risk levels. The study then employed machine learning algorithms for predicting cognitive risks during these tasks. The findings suggest that the ensemble classifier achieved the highest accuracy in predicting cognitive risk levels, with an accuracy of 78.1%. By developing models that can provide predictive insights into the impacts of wearable robots on construction workers, the study seeks to facilitate the strategic deployment of wearable robots, thereby enhancing construction workers’ safety. This study further sets precedence for intelligent human-wearable robot integration in the construction industry.