HUman-MAchines CooperatioN for flexIble production SysteMs – HUMANISM

A methodology for constructing a set of constraints (logic filter) to ensure the security of an existing control law has been developed. The resolution of this set of constraints is carried out using algebraic synthesis, a tool allowing the implementation of the logic filter in automation language compliant with the IEC 61131-3 standard.

The results obtained in controlled experimental environments, such as simulators or simplified installations of industrial processes, have made it possible to identify several key points in the design of autonomous systems and the supports necessary for humans to control them. These key points concern the identification of the limits of autonomous systems, the proposal of shared control, but above all the need to equip these systems with skills in the functions they perform, considering their modalities of transparency in their cooperation with humans. These systems must therefore be available in the form of shadows or digital twins, emulators or simulators depending on the aids to be provided to human operators at tactical and operational levels, so that humans can detect and control the intentions and actions of these systems. Other work has focused on the management of security constraints for the control of cyber-physical systems. In terms of deliverables, an automatic automation code and configuration generator has been defined and implemented.

The results of the work carried out in the HUMANISM project have contributed to enriching thinking on the interaction between humans and cyber-physical systems in the context of Industry 4.0, but also on the concepts of transparency, ethics, and cooperation for human-machine systems in the broadest sense. The number of publications and participation in seminars is a testament to this. New avenues for national and international projects have now been explored to advance the challenges not yet resolved or discovered during the project.

Pacaux-Lemoine, M.-P.; Sallak, M.; Sacile, R.; Flemisch, F.; Leitão, P. Introduction to the special section humans and industry 4.0. Cognition, Technology and Work. 2022, 24 (1), 1-5.

Pacaux-Lemoine, M.-P.; Berdal, Q.; Guerin, C.; Rauffet, P.; Chauvin, C.; et al. Designing human–system cooperation in industry 4.0 with cognitive work analysis: a first evaluation. Cognition, Technology and Work. 2021, 24, 93–111.

Simon, L.; Guérin, C.; Rauffet, P.; Chauvin, C.; Martin, É. How Humans Comply With a (Potentially) Faulty Robot: Effects of Multidimensional Transparency. IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems. 2023, 53, 751-760.

Philippot, A.; Riera, B.; Kunreddy, V.; Debernard, Serge. Formation à l'Industrie 4.0 par l'utilisation du model-Checking et du Virtual Commissioning, La 16ème édition du colloque national S-mart, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, France, 3-5 Avril 2019.

An objective of the factory of the future is to reach a high level of mass customization, low level of energy consumption through more agility of the global manufacturing system. Such a demand implies to design more flexible and more resilient manufacturing system. One way is to involve new technologies from digital and manufacturing technology fields. But at the same time, the Human must be kept at the center of the global process for decision making and control. In this context, HUMANISM proposes to use a Human centered design approach. The main idea is to balance Human and technology involvement, taking advantage of automation advances and Human capabilities such as experiences and adaptabilities. But since IMS are composed of self-organizing entities, one may face emergent behaviors, leading to a source of unexpected and abnormal risky situations; HUMANISM ambitions to develop a methodology to design cooperative assistance systems to support Human awareness and decision making for IMS, as well as assistance systems to control uncertainties.

The Human centred approach adopted in the project will rely, on one part, on an integrated approach, the Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA). It is considered to be one of the main methods taking human factors into account in the design of sociotechnical systems. This method will here support the design of assistance systems in IMS according to Human current and future needs redefined by new technologies. On the other part, it will rely on Human-Machine Cooperation principles (HMC) that provides precise models to identify and implement the best organization and task sharing between Humans and new technologies. To ensure the genericity of our theoretical developments, HUMANISM will be applied on three different IMS using different technologies and models with a focus on their ability to self-organize the production: a cobot system, a swarm of intelligent products, and a swarm of AGV. What is interesting to consider is that each of these three concerned Artificial Self-Organized Systems (ASO) presents different adaptable or adaptive level of automation. They differ each other in the kind of interaction they have with Human (close vs. distant), and in their behaviour (predictive, with communication abilities and accessible data). Each ASO is already available in their real or simulated version in the laboratories involved in HUMANISM.