Högskolan i Skövde

Large knowledge gaps exist regarding how enabling technologies, such as robotics, automation, and AI, impact the digital work environment in the ongoing industrial revolution. While these technologies must align with work tasks, they also have the potential to enhance meaningfulness at work by fulfilling human needs for competence, autonomy, and self-realization. However, the development of laboratory automation has mainly been technology-driven, underscoring the need for a human-centered approach here called Laboratory 5.0. This paper presents an empirical UX evaluation of a semi-automated robot used in inhalator testing by five chemists in a pharmaceutical lab. Data collection included think-aloud protocols, questionnaires, observations, and interviews, analyzed through triangulation. The findings revealed that while the robot streamlined tasks and increased flexibility, it also introduced physical and cognitive work environment challenges, such as ergonomic strain, cognitive load, unclear process feedback, and workflow interruptions. These insights will guide the redesign and implementation of a mobile lab robot, addressing user experience and interaction challenges in the laboratory context. By improving UX in human-robot interaction, this research aims to contribute to a more sustainable, meaningful and engaging digital work environment in Laboratory 5.0, which will benefit chemists and workers in similar domains.