Humans and Machines as a Team

Bielefeld University and Fraunhofer IOSB-INA are launching the Humation Competence Network, which will research and test new approaches to collaboration between humans and automated systems.

The new Humation – Human-Centered Automation competence network brings together activities at Bielefeld University and Fraunhofer IOSB-INA in Lemgo. The focus is on how humans, artificial intelligence (AI), and automated systems can interact in such a way that work processes become safer, more flexible, and more efficient. According to those involved, humans will continue to play a central role in this process. Technologies should therefore complement human capabilities. “We want to develop technologies that expand human capabilities, not replace them,” says Dr. Marc Hesse, team leader of Cognitronics at Bielefeld University and member of the scientific advisory board of the Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC). “When humans and machines work together as partners, the result is a hybrid team that works more creatively, adaptively, and sustainably.”

The network combines basic research with application-oriented development. This includes work on collaborative robotics and the integration of AI into automated processes. One example is the Humation Collaboratory.OWL project, which digitally connects the Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics (CoR-Lab) in Bielefeld and the Smart Factory OWL of the Fraunhofer Institute in Lemgo. In this environment, robots and humans work together, for example in the production of heat pumps. Automated systems take on subtasks and support skilled workers in assembly steps. According to the project managers, such approaches can reduce bottlenecks in production and structure processes. "Many companies are under pressure today: too few skilled workers and laborers, too much complexity. With Humation, we combine modern technology with human experience – and thanks to digital twins, processes become simpler and faster,“ says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Jasperneite, Director of Fraunhofer IOSB-INA, Lemgo.

The "EXPLORE" project also demonstrates the connection between research and industrial application. It is developing a research platform for digital twins in East Westphalia-Lippe. Digital twins virtually replicate real machines or production lines and enable simulations and optimizations before changes are implemented in practice.

Technology on a Human Scale

Human-centered automation focuses on the human-friendly design of technical systems. The goal is not complete automation, but rather the improvement of safety, well-being, and skills development. The integrated research approach incorporates ethical, legal, and social aspects from the outset. Humation offers various support services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), such as lab tours, specialist communities, and consulting and implementation projects. The aim is to transfer scientific findings to the regional economy, while experiences from companies flow back into research.

Impetus for the Industry of the Future

The approach is based on the European Industry 5.0 strategy, which describes people as the central pillar of a sustainable and resilient industry. With this competence network, the East Westphalia-Lippe region aims to contribute to the further development of human-centered automation in Europe.

This is a partly automated translation of this german article.