Date/Time
Date(s) - November 15, 2019
11:45 am - 12:35 pm
Location
FLG 0245
Categories
Abstract: Human-Centered, Sustainable, and Inclusive Robotics for Worker Safety and Well-Being
Hongwei Hsiao, Ph.D., Dawn Castillo, MPH, and Jacob Carr, Ph.D.
Recent advancements in robotics have changed the landscape of industry. Many robots have been used along with workers as teams, instead of being caged, for various tasks in the manufacturing, healthcare, mining, construction, and other sectors. There are benefits to the use of robots in the workplace, especially in performing repetitive tasks to improve productivity and reduce worker health and safety risk exposures. There are also associated concerns for human worker trust and job opportunities arising from these rapid technological advances, lack of worker experience in close operations with emerging types of robots in varied work settings, and the potential for unforeseen hazards and unanticipated consequences. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) established the Center for Occupational Robotics Research (CORR) in 2017 to proactively address benefits and worker safety associated with increasing prevalence of robots in the workplace. This presentation will share knowledge on human-centered, sustainable, and inclusive robotics; introduce the NIOSH robotics center; and seek input on how NIOSH and academia may work collaboratively in this area.
Hongwei Hsiao, Ph.D.
Chief of Protective Technology Branch and Coordinator
Center for Occupational Robotics Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Dawn Castillo, MPH
Director of the Dicision of Safety Research
Center for Occupational Robotics Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Jacob Carr, Ph.D.
Team Leader for NIOSH’s Machine Safety Team, Pittsburg Mining Division
Assistant Coordinator for the Center for Occupational Robotics Research