5. Conclusion

Cobotic technologies are gradually moving towards industrial maturity. After decades of research, exoskeletons are no longer the preserve of the military, and major automotive and aerospace manufacturers are beginning to equip their production sites with lightweight exoskeletons to relieve workers.

Productivity is not the only issue at stake in collaborative robotics. Resolutely human-oriented, cobotics represents a paradigm shift that calls into question the relationship between workers and machines. Thus, the acceptability of collaborative robotics to operators and the potential physical risks associated with it are challenges for manufacturers. If the future of cobotics depends in part on the ergonomics of this human/robot interaction, it is now clear that robotic arms, collaborative islands and other exoskeletons are an industrial reality.