Evolution of the biomechanical dimension of the professional gestures of grinders when using a collaborative robot

Using cobot could relieve workers of strenuous and repetitive tasks while preserving their expertise. To understand the consequences of using cobot on the occurrence of MSDs, within a theoretical framework based on the activity-centred ergonomics, an example of a cobot used in grinding activities in real work situation is studied. This paper analyse the evolution of the biomechanical dimension of the professional gestures of grinders when using the cobot. The effort linked to tool carrying and the vibrations perceived reduce. The repetitiveness decreased but the workers didn't accomplish the entirety of their task. The work postures did improve for different joints but not for all, which shows the advantage of varying the contexts of using a cobot and taking into account workers' strategies diversity. To investigate other explanatory elements of the effects on MSDs, these results must be linked to the evolution of the other dimensions of professional gestures.