We congratulate our colleague Guoyi Xia on successfully completing his doctorate on February 4, 2026. His thesis, entitled “A Structured Hierarchical Model for Human-Robot Collaboration in Industrial Assembly" was supervised by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus-Dieter Thoben, University of Bremen and Prof. Dr. Hugo Gamboa, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Xia conducted his research in BIBA and in the International Graduate School for Dynamics in Logistics (LogDynamics).

This thesis develops a structured hierarchical model for human-robot collaboration in industrial assembly, aiming to improve human safety and process efficiency. The model is strongly grounded in hierarchical task analysis, hierarchical organization of human behavior, and hierarchical control of robot behavior. It addresses the complexity and dynamic nature of assembly tasks by enabling multi-level understanding of human behavior and correspondingly structured robot behavior control. The proposed model is demonstrated through an industrial assembly case study, with results showing measurable improvements in both safety and efficiency. The work also aligns with the objectives of Industry 5.0 by promoting human-centric production, in which technologies adapt to human needs and capabilities. Building on this work, future implementations could contribute to sustainability goals by enhancing economic efficiency and supporting social inclusion, fostering production systems that are more responsive to individual workers.