Continuous Quality Improvement in Human–Robot Collaboration: A Quality 4.0 Methodological Approach

SEE OUR BOOK CHAPTER: Gervasi, R., Capponi, M., Mastrogiacomo, L., Franceschini, F.: Continuous Quality Improvement in Human–Robot Collaboration: A Quality 4.0 Methodological Approach (1.19 MB). In: Sampaio, P., Domingues, P., and Carvalho, A. (eds.) Quality 4.0: From Theory to Practice. pp. 71–87. Emerald Publishing Limited (2026)

Human-robot collaboration (HRC) is increasingly prevalent across various industries, necessitating an in-depth exploration of the factors that enhance its quality. Evaluating HRC is not trivial, as it involves several disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and social sciences. A major problem in the literature is to find a comprehensive framework that can support the continuous enhancement of HRC. High-quality HRC requires a balanced integration of technological advancements and human-centered design principles. This chapter provides a methodology to support the implementation of continuous quality improvement strategy in HRC by including a previously presented HRC evaluation framework. This methodology is applied to a case study to better illustrate how it works and its advantages. The proposed methodology can provide insights to practitioners, supporting the analysis and implementation of HRC, as well as highlighting the areas for improvement.