Advances in robotics have contributed to the prevalence of human-robot collaboration (HRC). However, working and interacting with collaborative robots in close proximity can be psychologically stressful. Therefore, understanding the impacts of human-robot interaction (HRI) on mental stress is crucial for enhancing workplace well-being. To this end, this study investigated how the HRI factors – presence, complexity, and modality – affect the psychological stress of workers. We employed both the NASA-Task Load Index for subjective assessment and physiological metrics including galvanic skin responses, electromyography, and heart rate for objective evaluation. An experimental setup was implemented in which human operators worked together with a collaborative robot on Lego assembly tasks, using different interaction paradigms including pressing buttons, showing hand gestures, and giving verbal commands. The results revealed that the introduction of interactions during HRC helped reduce mental stress and that complex interactions resulted in higher mental stress than simple interactions. Meanwhile, using hand gestures led to significantly higher mental stress than pressing buttons and verbal commands. The findings provided practical insights for mitigating mental stress in the workplace and promoting wellness in the era of HRC.

机器人技术的进步促进了人机协作（HRC）的普及。然而，与近距离的协作机器人一起工作和互动可能会给心理带来压力。因此，了解人机交互（HRI）对精神压力的影响对于提高工作场所福祉至关重要。为此，本研究调查了 HRI 因素（存在性、复杂性和形态）如何影响工人的心理压力。我们采用 NASA 任务负荷指数进行主观评估，并采用生理指标（包括皮肤电反应、肌电图和心率）进行客观评估。实施了一项实验设置，其中人类操作员与协作机器人一起完成乐高组装任务，使用不同的交互范例，包括按下按钮、显示手势和发出口头命令。结果表明，HRC 期间引入互动有助于减轻精神压力，并且复杂的互动比简单的互动会导致更高的精神压力。与此同时，使用手势比按下按钮和口头命令会带来明显更高的精神压力。研究结果为HRC时代减轻工作场所精神压力和促进健康提供了实用见解。