Impact of Retail Collaborative Robots on Surrounding Human Neuromuscular Responses: An EMG Analysis

Publication Date

3-17-2026

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

IEEE Transactions on Human Machine Systems

DOI

10.1109/THMS.2026.3668974

Abstract

Retail robots have increasingly become popular in retail stores, serving as collaborative assistants by completing tedious and repetitive tasks. As key participants in a retail environment, understanding how these robots influence the movements and behaviors of nearby customers can provide valuable insights to improve robot ergonomics. This article examined neuromuscular information changes with and without the presence of a retail robot. Sixteen participants were recruited to perform item picking and sorting tasks in a high-fidelity retail setting. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals were collected from four muscles—biceps brachii, brachioradialis, upper trapezius and erector spinae (ES), to measure muscle activity and EMG-EMG coherence. A global decrease in power spectral density (PSD) was observed across all monitored muscles with the robot's presence, indicating a reduction in overall muscular energy expenditure. The introduction of the retail robot also led to a significant reduction in the peak values and waveform length of the ES muscle. These findings not only highlight the potential of retail robots to enhance the overall shopping experience but also provide crucial insights for enhancing ergonomics during robotic design.

Funding Number

2132936

Funding Sponsor

National Science Foundation

Keywords

Human-robot collaboration (HRC), muscle coordination, neuromuscular adaption, retail environment

Department

Industrial and Systems Engineering

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