Human-machine interface in smart factory: A systematic literature review

Abstract

• This study investigates the characteristics of HMIs in smart factories to provide deep insights into them. • A systematic literature review on HMI using the PRISMA method was conducted. • The results identified smart factory functions, tasks, information types, and HMI interaction types. • The cognitive and physical impacts on operators owing to HMI changes in smart factories are reported. • Recommendations for HMI users and designers are provided to understand HMI from a smart factory perspective. A smart factory is a form of manufacturing in the era of Industry 4.0 that has adopted new integrated manufacturing technologies. The importance of human–machine interfaces (HMIs) has been increasing due to the complexity of the current manufacturing context. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and understand HMIs in smart factories from a holistic perspective, which enables us to understand the overall picture. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of HMIs to identify smart factory functions, tasks, information types, interaction modalities, and their impact on human operators from the perspectives of human factors and human–computer interaction. Seventy-seven articles were selected for SLR and analysed based on three research questions. We found four smart factory functions (operation and supervision, management, maintenance service, and cybersecurity) consisting of 18 tasks, including subtasks and functions. The effects of these functions, tasks, and HMIs on human operators are also discussed. Five interaction modalities (gaze, voice, gesture, tactile, and haptic) were used to perform these functions and tasks. This paper also discusses the practical use context of HMIs in smart factories and offers HMI recommendations for users, designers, and researchers. These findings provide insights into the design of HMIs in smart factories.