Analysis of Exoskeleton Introduction in Industrial Reality: Main Issues and EAWS Risk Assessment

Exoskeletons are part of the technological and organizational innovation sought by the fourth industrial revolution to support and re-launch the manufacturing area. In the present study, we described the experimental protocol designed to test the usability and acceptance of an upper limbs passive exoskeleton. In total, 42 workers from FCA plants volunteered to participate in the research study. The testing campaign included static and dynamic tests aimed at evaluating the potential benefit of the exoskeleton (lessen muscle strain, higher comfort rating and dexterity) vs. possible restrictions to movements and work-device interactions in tasks resembling work activities. Open questions remain on how to assess the biomechanical workload risk, especially in the design phase, for which holistic methods like EAWS are needed.

[1]  Fadi A Fathallah,et al.  Subject-specific, whole-body models of the stooped posture with a personal weight transfer device. , 2013, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[2]  Michael J Agnew,et al.  The effect of an on-body personal lift assist device (PLAD) on fatigue during a repetitive lifting task. , 2009, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[3]  R. A. R. C. Gopura,et al.  A brief review on upper extremity robotic exoskeleton systems , 2011, 2011 6th International Conference on Industrial and Information Systems.

[4]  Ralph Bruder,et al.  The European Assembly Worksheet , 2013 .

[5]  Anis Sahbani,et al.  Robotic Exoskeletons: A Perspective for the Rehabilitation of Arm Coordination in Stroke Patients , 2014, Front. Hum. Neurosci..

[6]  H. Kazerooni,et al.  Biomechanical design of the Berkeley lower extremity exoskeleton (BLEEX) , 2006, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[7]  M. de Looze,et al.  The effects of a passive exoskeleton on muscle activity, discomfort and endurance time in forward bending work. , 2016, Applied ergonomics.

[8]  Michael J Agnew,et al.  An on-body personal lift augmentation device (PLAD) reduces EMG amplitude of erector spinae during lifting tasks. , 2006, Clinical biomechanics.

[9]  Joy C MacDermid,et al.  Validation of a new test that assesses functional performance of the upper extremity and neck (FIT-HaNSA) in patients with shoulder pathology , 2007, BMC musculoskeletal disorders.

[10]  Jacob Rosen,et al.  A myosignal-based powered exoskeleton system , 2001, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Part A.

[11]  Frank Krause,et al.  Exoskeletons for industrial application and their potential effects on physical work load , 2016, Ergonomics.

[12]  Yijian Zhang,et al.  A Review of exoskeleton-type systems and their key technologies , 2008 .

[13]  Joan M Stevenson,et al.  Mathematical and empirical proof of principle for an on-body personal lift augmentation device (PLAD). , 2007, Journal of biomechanics.

[14]  Joan M. Stevenson,et al.  Effect of an on-body ergonomic aid on oxygen consumption during a repetitive lifting task , 2014 .

[15]  Maria Pia Cavatorta,et al.  Investigation into the applicability of a passive upper-limb exoskeleton in automotive industry , 2017 .

[16]  A. L. Barrett,et al.  Evaluation of Four Weight Transfer Devices for Reducing Loads on Lower Back During Agricultural Stoop Labor , 2001 .

[17]  C. Greenwood,et al.  VEGF, FGF1, FGF2 and EGF gene polymorphisms and psoriatic arthritis , 2007, BMC musculoskeletal disorders.

[18]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies , 2000, Management Science.

[19]  Michael J Agnew,et al.  Effectiveness of an on-body lifting aid at reducing low back physical demands during an automotive assembly task: assessment of EMG response and user acceptability. , 2009, Applied ergonomics.