Human-technology integration in smart manufacturing and logistics: current trends and future research directions

In the next years, it will be increasingly important to re-think manufacturing and logistics systems from a human-centred perspective to promote a balanced use of automation and digital technologies to enhance the unique and irreplaceable capabilities of operators, who will continue to play a fundamental role in the factories of the future. The sixteen papers published in this special issue aim at contributing to the main emerging research streams about human-technology integration in the next-generation manufacturing and logistics systems. In particular, four main macro-topics have emerged: human-machine integration, human-robot collaboration, worker assistance systems and work design 4.0. In the papers, novel conceptual frameworks and architectures are presented and laboratory tests are carried out, promoting relevant advances in the field of human-technology integration. Nevertheless, the analysis of the papers in the special issue reveals that it is still necessary to investigate and explore human-technology integration, especially by developing interfaces that increasingly support the operators. At the same time, it is necessary to rethink the traditional workforce, taking more account of human factors, which intervene in the tasks of operators and managers in order to increase technology acceptability and usage. As a result, there is a growing need to move towards Industry 5.0, with human-centred and socially sustainable design and development of new manufacturing and logistics solutions.