Testing the Effectiveness and Safety of a Passive Industrial Exoskeleton for Back Support

Testing the Effectiveness and Safety of a Passive Industrial Exoskeleton for Back Support

This research will provide data on evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of using a passive exoskeleton designed to reduce the negative impact of static and dynamic loads associated with body tilts, lifting and holding weights on the musculoskeletal system of workers. To evaluate a passive industrial exoskeleton for back support, a protocol was developed in which individual production operations will be modeled.

This research will recruit 12 volunteers. During a 4-hour laboratory visit, each subject will perform two identical experimental tests: one test without an exoskeleton and another one using the exoskeleton. To avoid sequence bias, the test order will be randomized (balanced). The labor operation will be simulated. This operation will consist of lifting the load, which is 20 kg off the floor, walking 1.5m to a surface with a height of 70 cm to put it on, the frequency of lifting is 1 time in 30 seconds. The work will be performed for 105 minutes, then a break of 15 minutes, then 105 minutes of work. Heart rate (Polar) will be monitored. An ergospirometric device (Metamax) will be used to collect muscle activity data (Trust-M, Myoton), inertial sensors (Trust-M) will be used to evaluate the biomechanics of movements. In addition, questionnaires will be filled out for a subjective assessment of the use of exoskeleton prototypes (local discomfort scale, exoskeleton properties assessment questionnaire).

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy individuals (based on medical screening)

Exclusion Criteria:

• musculoskeletal system diseases
• musculoskeletal injuries
• health deviations at the time of the study