Industry 5.0 Readiness – “Optimization of the Relationship between Humans and Robots in Manufacturing Companies in Southeast of Ireland”
Diseph Emma-Ikata, Mary Doyle-Kent
Abstract
Doyle-Kent and Kopacek expressed that lessons can be learned from the challenges identified in the adoption and deployment of Industry 4.0 as it relays to the level of readiness of manufacturing industries and other stakeholders being a critical factor when moving to Industry 5.0. In this research, an investigation into the fears of humans about the use of cobots and robots in the manufacturing space, how companies can increase value by investing in robotics, but remain ethical and improve human resources, was carried out. Areas such as upskilling humans and reconstructing their tasks in line with industry 5.0 requirements were evaluated and the willingness of humans to learn and upskill after so many years in the field and doing manufacturing in a particular way. Critical issues associated with the adoption of autonomous robots and collaborative robots (cobots), were revealed. The findings show that the level of awareness and readiness of Industry 5.0 is still minimal. It further reveals the need for education providers to offer a ‘state of the art’ curriculum to fit the needs of smart manufacturing facilities. In addition, policy makers should upgrade policies to align with the present realities in the manufacturing industries.