No abstract

Human System Integration (HSI) is about orchestrating technology, organization and people in a flexible way. Flexible sociotechnical systems, called "FlexTech," are based on anticipation, preparation, creativity and experience. These systems contrast with those stemming from technology-centered engineering that produces objects and machines with the immensely codified and rigid practices we know today. Most of the time, technologies are designed and developed for normal situations, leaving users to manage abnormal and emergency situations themselves, sometimes under unforeseen, extreme and/or dangerous conditions. Putting humans at the center of the design of flexible sociotechnical systems means imagining possible futures, modeling them, simulating them and leading them down the right paths. This keynote is for the designers who seek to better understand the roles of humans and organizations developing complex life-critical systems. It is also for those who train future human-centered designers who will have to take into account the well-being, safety, sustainability and efficiency of the actors of future sociotechnical systems. The aim of the flexibility challenge is to put the artificial at the service of the natural, and not the other way around.

No abstract

Exoskeletons are wearable devices that use mechanical interaction with the body to augment, assist, and enhance physical activity, motion, and body posture. In the last decades, these devices have been extensively studied and applied in motor rehabilitation. More recently, both industrial and academic researchers have been working to explore the effectiveness of exoskeletons in supporting human upper and lower extremities during manual material handling to eliminate or reduce the risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). If on the one hand, the effects for the prevention of WMSDs seem evident, on the other hand, some studies are carefully evaluating the overall impact of exoskeletons on the health and safety of workers. Still, there is limited evidence on the long-term effects of these devices. Hence, more researches are necessary to understand the benefits and the potential opportunities arising from the introduction of exoskeletons in the workplace, as well as the potential limitations and risks that may arise for workers. This paper aims to address these challenges, providing the results of a structured analysis of the scientific literature on occupational exoskeletons. A conceptual framework describes the benefits and the potential limitations of occupational exoskeletons, supporting the safe and effective selection and adoption of these devices in workplaces. The findings in this paper support academic, industrial practitioners, and researchers to understand the opportunities behind the use of exoskeletons, the future research needs, and to predict the benefits and the potential limitations of their implementation in workplaces.

No abstract