In an undistinguished office building on the outskirts of Munich, Darshana Raykar, Global Product Specialist User Experience at ABB Robotics, leads us into a showroom that has something of a laboratory feel to it, white and sterile, with three robots waiting for new tasks. Anyone who has seen some of the robots used in automotive production, for example, will have been impressed by the elegance of the robot ballet. Here, too, they look anything but threatening: elegant figures mounted on simple tables. Darshana Raykar controls them with a teach pendant.
If the robot touches a human, it stops. This may sound obvious, but it represents a revolution in industrial automation. Gone are the days of safety fences and strict separation from humans. Today's collaborative robots, or "cobots," are designed to work alongside humans—changing not only manufacturing, but the very nature of human-machine interaction.
Working together
Swiss technology giant ABB, one of the world’s leaders in electrification and automation, exemplifies this shift. Its latest cobot, GoFa, moves gracefully, handling parts and components while human workers operate just inches away. Its technology and sensitive sensors ensure it will never harm its flesh-and-blood colleagues. This development marks a fundamental shift in industrial robotics. From their introduction in the 1970s, they were essentially technical musclemen, designed to perform heavy lifting and repetitive tasks. They were highly efficient but also dangerous, requiring strict safety protocols and physical barriers.
The new generation is different. Instead of replacing humans, these robots are designed to complement them. "It is a tool to make your life easier," says Darshana Raykar. “Futuristic movie robots inspire viewers and designers to think about what's possible. Although collaborative robots don't necessarily take a humanoid form, they do need to have a strong enough character so that we relate to them as companions. This character expresses itself not only in how the object is shaped, but also in how it moves.”
The rise of collaborative robots raises intriguing questions about the future of work. While some jobs will undoubtedly be automated, experience suggests that cobots often enhance human work rather than replace it. They take over repetitive or ergonomically challenging tasks, freeing humans to focus on work that requires creativity and judgment.
User Experience (UX) plays a crucial role in the successful integration of cobots into the workplace, believes Darshana Raykar. A positive UX ensures that interactions between humans and robots are smooth, intuitive, and satisfying. For robots to become true allies in the workplace, they need to provide positive and fit-for-purpose experiences through seamless interactions.
In the context of cobots, UX encompasses various aspects including the robot's design, interaction, and movements. A well-designed cobot should be easy to program and operate, even for users with no robotics expertise.
More than technology
But what is perhaps the most significant impact isn't about technology at all. The ability to interact safely with robots is changing the way we think about automation. When robots were within cages, they were the "other"—powerful, but alien machines kept at a safe distance. Today's cobots, working alongside humans, are more like tools or even partners. But then, just as the lines between robots and humans seem to blur, Darshana Raykar offers a piece of advice: "There are safe applications, but no inherently safe robots”. With a bachelor's in electronics engineering and a master's in innovation design management, she is strict when it comes to security protocols. This is important to remember. After all, a cobot is not a companion, but a wonderful tool. The relative simplicity of the technology makes it accessible to companies without robotics specialism.
"As for the future of human-robot interaction, I see a world where robots and humans work seamlessly together, leveraging each other's strengths to achieve greater efficiency and innovation," says Darshana Raykar. "The goal is to create a harmonious partnership that enhances human capabilities and opens up new possibilities.” It could even lead to a new kind of relationship between humans and machines—one based not on replacement or competition, but on genuine collaboration.
The article on ABB Robotics also appears in mcbw magazine 2025.