When Embodied AI Meets Industry 5.0: Human-Centered Smart Manufacturing

Abstract

As embodied intelligence (EI), large language models (LLMs), and cloud computing continue to advance, Industry 5.0 facilitates the development of industrial artificial intelligence (IndAI) through cyber-physical-social systems (CPSSs) with a human-centric focus. These technologies are organized by the system-wide approach of Industry 5.0, in order to empower the manufacturing industry to achieve broader societal goals of job creation, economic growth, and green production. This survey first provides a general framework of smart manufacturing in the context of Industry 5.0. Wherein, the embodied agents, like robots, sensors, and actuators, are the carriers for IndAI, facilitating the development of the self-learning intelligence in individual entities, the collaborative intelligence in production lines and factories (smart systems), and the swarm intelligence within industrial clusters (systems of smart systems). Through the framework of CPSSs, the key technologies and their possible applications for supporting the single-agent, multi-agent and swarm-agent embodied IndAI have been reviewed, such as the embodied perception, interaction, scheduling, multi-mode large language models, and collaborative training. Finally, to stimulate future research in this area, the open challenges and opportunities of applying Industry 5.0 to smart manufacturing are identified and discussed. The perspective of Industry 5.0-driven manufacturing industry aims to enhance operational productivity and efficiency by seamlessly integrating the virtual and physical worlds in a human-centered manner, thereby fostering an intelligent, sustainable, and resilient industrial landscape.