Applicability of an Active Back-Support Exoskeleton to Carrying Activities

Occupational back-support exoskeletons are becoming a more and more common solution to mitigate work-related lower-back pain associated with lifting activities. In addition to lifting, there are many other tasks performed by workers, such as carrying, pushing, and pulling, that might benefit from the use of an exoskeleton. In this work, the impact that carrying has on lower-back loading compared to lifting and the need to select different assistive strategies based on the performed task are presented. This latter need is studied by using a control strategy that commands for constant torques. The results of the experimental campaign conducted on 9 subjects suggest that such a control strategy is beneficial for the back muscles (up to 12% reduction in overall lumbar activity), but constrains the legs (around 10% reduction in hip and knee ranges of motion). Task recognition and the design of specific controllers can be exploited by active and, partially, passive exoskeletons to enhance their versatility, i.e., the ability to adapt to different requirements.

[1]  S. McGill Electromyographic activity of the abdominal and low back musculature during the generation of isometric and dynamic axial trunk torque: Implications for lumbar mechanics , 1991, Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society.

[2]  Dong Jin Hyun,et al.  Waist-assistive exoskeleton powered by a singular actuation mechanism for prevention of back-injury , 2018, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[3]  A Garg,et al.  Revised NIOSH equation for the design and evaluation of manual lifting tasks. , 1993, Ergonomics.

[4]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Assessment of an On-board Classifier for Activity Recognition on an Active Back-Support Exoskeleton , 2019, 2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR).

[5]  Lorenzo Grazi,et al.  A Real-Time Lift Detection Strategy for a Hip Exoskeleton , 2018, Front. Neurorobot..

[6]  M. de Looze,et al.  The effect of control strategies for an active back-support exoskeleton on spine loading and kinematics during lifting. , 2019, Journal of biomechanics.

[7]  Karl E. Zelik,et al.  Feasibility of a Biomechanically-Assistive Garment to Reduce Low Back Loading During Leaning and Lifting , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[8]  Stephen Fox,et al.  Exoskeletons , 2019, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management.

[9]  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.

[10]  William S Marras,et al.  The effect of ergonomic interventions in healthcare facilities on musculoskeletal disorders. , 2005, American journal of industrial medicine.

[11]  Lorenzo Grazi,et al.  Classification of Lifting Techniques for Application of A Robotic Hip Exoskeleton , 2019, Sensors.

[12]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Energy Efficiency Analysis and Design Optimization of an Actuation System in a Soft Modular Lower Limb Exoskeleton , 2018, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.

[13]  Lorenzo Grazi,et al.  Towards methodology and metrics for assessing lumbar exoskeletons in industrial applications , 2019, 2019 II Workshop on Metrology for Industry 4.0 and IoT (MetroInd4.0&IoT).

[14]  Jose L Pons,et al.  Wearable Robots: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons , 2008 .

[15]  Robin Burgess-Limerick Squat, stoop, or something in between? , 1999 .

[16]  L. Fine,et al.  Elements Of Ergonomics Programs: A Primer Based On Workplace Evaluations Of Musculoskeletal Disorders , 1997 .

[17]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Systematic framework for performance evaluation of exoskeleton actuators , 2020, Wearable Technologies.

[18]  Leonard O'Sullivan,et al.  Elongation of the surface of the spine during lifting and lowering, and implications for design of an upper body industrial exoskeleton. , 2018, Applied ergonomics.

[19]  B. Bernard,et al.  Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors: a critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity, and low back , 1997 .

[20]  Robert Riener,et al.  Control strategies for active lower extremity prosthetics and orthotics: a review , 2015, Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.

[21]  D B Chaffin,et al.  A computerized biomechanical model-development of and use in studying gross body actions. , 1969, Journal of biomechanics.

[22]  Ken Endo,et al.  A quasi-passive model of human leg function in level-ground walking , 2006, 2006 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[23]  Eduardo Rocon,et al.  Pneumatic Quasi-Passive Actuation for Soft Assistive Lower Limbs Exoskeleton , 2020, Frontiers in Neurorobotics.

[24]  A. J. van der Beek,et al.  Does musculoskeletal discomfort at work predict future musculoskeletal pain? , 2008, Ergonomics.

[25]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  A wearable device for reducing spinal loads during lifting tasks: Biomechanics and design concepts , 2015, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO).

[26]  Mark Halaki,et al.  Normalization of EMG Signals: To Normalize or Not to Normalize and What to Normalize to? , 2012 .

[27]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Rationale, Implementation and Evaluation of Assistive Strategies for an Active Back-Support Exoskeleton , 2018, Front. Robot. AI.

[28]  Ting Zhang,et al.  A Lower-Back Robotic Exoskeleton: Industrial Handling Augmentation Used to Provide Spinal Support , 2018, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.

[29]  Luigi Monica,et al.  Back-Support Exoskeletons for Occupational Use: An Overview of Technological Advances and Trends , 2019, IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors.

[30]  Goobong Chung,et al.  Development of a Stand-alone Powered Exoskeleton Robot Suit in Steel Manufacturing , 2015 .

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

[32]  B Jonsson,et al.  Measurement and evaluation of local muscular strain in the shoulder during constrained work. , 1982, Journal of human ergology.

[33]  Jan Babič,et al.  Gaussian Mixture Models for Control of Quasi-Passive Spinal Exoskeletons , 2020, Sensors.

[34]  Arun Garg,et al.  Revised NIOSH Equation for Manual Lifting: A Method for Job Evaluation , 1995, AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.

[35]  Bram Vanderborght,et al.  Passive Back Support Exoskeleton Improves Range of Motion Using Flexible Beams , 2018, Front. Robot. AI.

[36]  Ken Endo,et al.  A Quasi-Passive Leg Exoskeleton for Load-Carrying Augmentation , 2007, Int. J. Humanoid Robotics.

[37]  S. McGill,et al.  MVC techniques to normalize trunk muscle EMG in healthy women. , 2010, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[38]  D. Abe,et al.  Effects of load carriage, load position, and walking speed on energy cost of walking. , 2004, Applied ergonomics.

[39]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Enhancing Back-Support Exoskeleton Versatility based on Human Activity Recognition , 2019, 2019 Wearable Robotics Association Conference (WearRAcon).

[40]  S. M. Bruijn,et al.  The effect of a passive trunk exoskeleton on metabolic costs during lifting and walking , 2019, Ergonomics.

[41]  Kevin Desbrosses,et al.  Occupational Exoskeletons: Overview of Their Benefits and Limitations in Preventing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders , 2019, IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors.

[42]  R. Norman,et al.  Mechanically corrected EMG for the continuous estimation of erector spinae muscle loading during repetitive lifting , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[43]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Evaluation of an acceleration-based assistive strategy to control a back-support exoskeleton for manual material handling , 2021, Wearable Technologies.

[44]  Kevin J. Mulhall,et al.  Anatomy & Biomechanics of the Hip , 2010 .

[45]  Chun Kwang Tan,et al.  Muscle Synergies During Repetitive Stoop Lifting With a Bioelectrically-Controlled Lumbar Support Exoskeleton , 2019, Front. Hum. Neurosci..