Chapter 1 - Introduction

The manufacturing industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation spurred by several key trends, including digitalization, sustainability, and personalization. These trends are reshaping the entire product lifecycle, spanning from design to production and final customer delivery. In this context, Human-Centric Smart Manufacturing (HCSM) represents a foreseeable manufacturing paradigm that capitalizes on cutting-edge technologies to optimize production processes, minimize waste, and enhance overall efficiency. To achieve it, Human–Robot Collaboration (HRC) stands out as a pivotal solution, embodying a design philosophy centered around human involvement to establish a collaborative and adaptable production environment. It combines the unique strengths of both humans, characterized by cognitive flexibility and adaptability, and robots, distinguished by exceptional precision, strength, and repeatability. To gain a deeper insight into the evolution of HRC, a foundational understanding of the prevailing shift toward HCSM environments is essential, serving as a prerequisite of this book.