Accessibility of Robot Programming and Work of the Future

Easily programmable robot interfaces have the potential to transform manufacturing by reducing the amount of programming expertise required to use robotic systems. Lowering the barrier to use robots in this way could have vast implications for manufacturing including reducing the integration and reintegration time for robots on manufacturing lines, increasing the reusability of robots by making it easier repurpose them, and making robots more accessible to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who often do not have the required internal programming expertise to use robots. In addition, easy-to-use robots could improve the number and quality of jobs available to manufacturing workers by enabling them to use their deep domain knowledge about manufacturing processes to easily make changes to how robots are used in production. However, in order to achieve favorable outcomes for all stakeholders in these scenarios including line workers, developing these interfaces in a worker-centered way is critical.

Recent research advancements have explored the algorithmic and human interaction aspects of easy-to-program systems. In this workshop, we aim to bring together members of the robotics research community who are making technical contributions in this space and members of the social science community who can speak to the impact of introducing automation on the workers who interact directly with the technology, the organizations that integrate the technology, and on society generally. The workshop will focus on topics such as the social and ethical considerations of easy-to-program robotics technologies in the manufacturing setting and will strive to bridge the gap between research and industry by charting a path forward for defining important considerations for technology development and integration into manufacturing.