A Vision Based Framework Integrating Attention and Action Cues for Interpretable Cognitive Workload Assessment in Human Robot Collaborative Assembly

2026-09-14

AI Summary

该研究提出一种基于视觉的注意力-动作框架，用于人机协作装配中认知工作负荷的连续和可解释评估，无需操作员佩戴额外传感器。

Abstract

The introduction of human-robot collaboration (HRC) in industrial assembly operations is revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape. In this evolving environment, operators are required to seamlessly coordinate their manual tasks with real-time task information and robotic behaviors. These demands fluctuate during operation, yet conventional workload assessments depend on body-worn physiological sensors that complicate practical deployment. Here, we present a vision-based attention--action framework for continuous and interpretable workload-related assessment in HRC assembly. The framework combines RGB-D observations with robot states and calibrated task-related areas to construct a temporally confirmed representation of operator behavior. This representation identifies where task demand is concentrated and explains how it develops when attention and action diverge, the task context changes, or the operator hesitates. We evaluated the framework in a three-level collaborative gearbox assembly experiment with ten participants, using subjective ratings and synchronized physiological signals as independent references. Raw NASA-TLX ratings confirmed increasing perceived workload across conditions, with significant effects on overall workload and its mental and temporal dimensions. The vision-derived HRC-CWL output was significantly associated with ECG-derived features in seven of nine participants with complete correlation data. Synchronized interaction episodes further showed temporal correspondence between detected hesitation and physiological activity. Real-time deployment demonstrated that the framework can operate without requiring operators to wear additional sensors. These findings support HRC-CWL as an interpretable behavioral proxy for cognitive ergonomics analysis and adaptive robot assistance, rather than a direct psychophysiological measure of workload.

Problem

• human-robot collaboration
• workload assessment
• vision-based framework

Innovation

• Vision-based Framework
• Attention and Action Cues
• Interpretable Cognitive Workload Assessment
• Human Robot Collaboration
• RGB-D Observations