The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, has brought about rapid technological growth and development in various manufacturing environments and processes. Manufacturing systems have transformed from manual to automated, and there has been progress in the tools and technologies used in manufacturing. This technological progress has allowed manufacturing processes to be more effective and efficient, as various assistive technologies have been used. In manufacturing processes such as augmented reality, virtual reality... etc, which served as auxiliary factors in the work environments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, the use of these auxiliary technologies led to changes in work systems and human work in addition to the emergence of the concept of operator 4.0, and attention has been paid to Ergonomics, as one of the basic sciences in design, studies the interaction of workers - technology to improve both the efficiency of the system's performance in general and the well-being of these workers in different work environments, and working on their suitability to those environments in terms of physical and psychological social aspects. However, the use of these assistive technologies in environments Work, which has greatly influenced the modification of the status and tasks of workers in manufacturing environments, has led to the need to shift the attention of ergonomics towards focusing on improving the cognitive skills of workers in those environments to process a lot of information. This research aims to present both the concept of operator 4.0 and clarify the functions of workers and their interaction with some of those assistive technologies used in the work environments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the cyber-physical systems in those interactive environments.
Background and problem
The progress of science and its assistive technologies always comes with many positives and negatives, and the technological development that has taken place since the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has led to the development of all sciences related to product design in particular, and the science of ergonomics has had the largest share in this development, especially as it is related to designing for humans and promoting the concepts of Many, such as usage, and the problem of the research is represented by the shortcomings occurring in many branches of design and industry that may not keep pace with the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including the modern tools, as well as the workers involved in this industrial process are unable to absorb the technology and its innovations, and the research focuses on introducing these Modern technologies that have led to the development of the human factor and the emergence of the operator 4.0 or the smart operator, supported by Industry 4.0 within the work environment in an interactive way.
Objectives
The research aims to present some assistive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution 4.0, clarify workers' functions and their interaction with those technologies, and explain the relationship of Industry 4.0 technologies to developing the operator's cognitive, sensory, physical, and interactive capabilities.
Significance
Improving the cognitive skills of workers in Fourth Industrial Revolution work environments to process a lot of information in manufacturing environments, as well as working to adapt workers to those environments in terms of physical and psychological social aspects.
Methodology
The research relied on the inductive approach to study the problem, achieve the research hypothesis, and indicate its importance.
Results
New technologies of Industry 4.0 have created numerous opportunities and threats to the goals of ergonomics. These technologies have the potential to reduce errors, increase safety, improve comfort, enhance productivity, and revolutionize human-machine interaction.
1. Enhanced productivity due to the adoption of advanced assistive technologies in manufacturing processes.
2. Increased understanding of the functionalities and applications of various virtual and augmented reality tools within manufacturing industries. 3. Discovery of potential gaps in the adoption and implementation of assistive technologies amongst operators. 4. Identification of potential ergonomic risks and challenges associated with the use of assistive technologies in the industry. 5. New insights into the cognitive, sensory, and physical effects of integrating advanced technologies into a work environment. 6. Improved understanding and enhancement of operator 4.0 capabilities. 7. Suggestions for ergonomic improvements to promote operator safety and well-being.