Harmony in the workplace is highly desirable, but what happens when some workers depend on biological brains, while others need computers to guide their behavior? With an eye toward enhanced safety and greater productivity, Johns Hopkins engineers have joined colleagues at four other universities in a project to create new ways for humans and robots to work together cooperatively.

The scientists say that although robotic technology has made enormous strides, more attention needs to be directed at developing cooperation between humans and robots. The researchers say the idea that independent machines can do all the work in a hospital or manufacturing plant with no help from humans remains a science-fiction pipe dream.

During the current rush toward automation, Gregory Hager wants to keep humans in the loop. Hager, chair of the computer science department at Johns Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering, is a co-principal investigator in the new four-year, $3.5-million human-robot interaction research project, funded by the National Science Foundation. He said modern robots can surpass humans in some procedures, but in other tasks, humans still hold the edge.

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