Digital Technologies to Empower Human Activities in Cyber-Physical Systems

Abstract

Humans play a critical role in cyber-physical systems (CPS) since they are the most flexible piece in this systems. However, their integration is not an easy task and constitutes a significant challenge, presenting different requirements according to the activities they execute and the related integration levels, i.e., Human-in-the-Loop (HitL) and Human-in-the-Mesh (HitM). This paper aims to discuss how emergent digital technologies can empower a smoother and more symbiotic integration of humans in industrial CPS. Particularly, it contributes with an analysis of different aspects and concerns that must be considered to properly enable the HitL and HitM in CPS. Three experimental case studies are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and contribution of using disruptive digital technologies to enhance the human-CPS integration, by assisting them to perform their operations in a faster and more efficient manner.