California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) has launched a project to improve human-AI collaboration in manufacturing, backed by a nearly $100,000 contribution from Honda. Led by Bingling Huang, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, the initiative aims to train students to design and interact with autonomous systems, focusing on the critical role of trust in industrial environments.
Honda-Backed Initiative Targets Factory Floor Friction
The project, titled “Building Trust in Human–AI Robotics Teaming for the Future Manufacturing Workforce,” addresses a growing friction point in modern industry: the skepticism workers often feel toward automation. Bingling Huang, who directs the Design for Intelligent Systems and Learning Laboratory in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, notes that many still view AI as a competitor rather than a collaborator.
Overcoming Skepticism Through Transparent Design
The initiative seeks to change this by teaching students that trust is as essential in human-AI teaming as it is in human teams. Students will participate in a one-year program to learn how to design systems that are not only efficient but also reliable and understandable for the people who work alongside them.
Rahul Pravinbhai Lunagariya, a mechanical engineering graduate student and research assistant, is one of 20 students selected for the project. Lunagariya brings practical experience from his previous work at an automobile parts manufacturer and an internship at one of India’s largest salt producers. He observed that workers often resisted automation because the systems lacked transparency. When machines acted in unpredictable ways, workers became hesitant to rely on them.
Virtual Laboratories and Simulated Robotics
Through this project, Lunagariya and his peers will gain experience in experimental design and data analysis. They will develop virtual manufacturing environments where they can assign tasks to simulated robots and observe the outcomes.
This research is intended to help students understand how to define and measure trust in robotic systems, ensuring that future engineers can create technology that workers feel comfortable operating.
Expanding Curriculum to Reach Hundreds of Students
The project extends beyond the research lab, with plans to introduce concepts of trustworthy AI to more than 200 students. These concepts will be integrated into existing engineering courses through simulations, demonstrations, and student projects.
By the end of the program, students are expected to have the skills to evaluate whether an autonomous system is appropriate for human collaboration. The curriculum covers a range of AI applications in manufacturing, including:
- Robotic parts recognition and assembly guidance.
- Product defect inspection.
- Predictive maintenance for industrial equipment.
- Production schedule optimization.
Preparing the Next Generation of AI-Ready Engineers
Huang emphasizes that the goal is to prepare "AI-ready engineers" who are capable of balancing technical capability with the human-centric design required for the next generation of manufacturing.