This book provides an overview of recent research developments in the automation and control of
robotic systems that collaborate with humans. A measure of human collaboration being necessary
for the optimal operation of any robotic system the contributors exploit a broad selection of
such systems to demonstrate the importance of the subject particularly where the environment
is prone to uncertainty or complexity. They show how such human strengths as high-level
decision-making flexibility and dexterity can be combined with robotic precision and ability
to perform task repetitively or in a dangerous environment. The book focuses on quantitative
methods and control design for guaranteed robot performance and balanced human experience from
both physical human-robot interaction and social human-robot interaction. Its contributions
develop and expand upon material presented at various international conferences. They are
organized into three parts covering: one-human-one-robot collaboration
one-human-multiple-robot collaboration and human-swarm collaboration. Individual topic areas
include resource optimization (human and robotic) safety in collaboration human trust in
robot and decision-making when collaborating with robots abstraction of swarm systems to make
them suitable for human control modeling and control of internal force interactions for
collaborative manipulation and the sharing of control between human and automated systems
etc. Control and decision-making algorithms feature prominently in the text importantly within
the context of human factors and the constraints they impose. Applications such as assistive
technology driverless vehicles cooperative mobile robots manufacturing robots and swarm
robots are considered. Illustrative figures and tables are provided throughout the book.
Researchers and students working in controls and the interaction of humans and robots will
learn new methods for human-robot collaboration from this book and will find the cutting edge
of the subject described in depth.
