Abstract
Human–robot cooperation aims to increase the flexibilization of manufacturing systems. This requires safe human–machine interaction (e.g. with collaborative robots) as well as self and environment awareness capabilities to interact autonomously and smartly between humans and machines. Therefore, the goal of this chapter is to conceptualize and identify the set of real-time information processing and decision-making capabilities required for collaborative robots to be considered as a safe companion in the context of human–robot cooperation (HRC). In particular, the chapter provides an overview of appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) concepts, formally introduces the concept of a safety-aware cyber-physical system and defines a general taxonomy for the perceptive and cognitive problems arising in the context of intelligent and flexible HRC.