Presentation
Evaluating Passive and Powered Back Support Exoskeletons for Forward Bending and Push-Pull Tasks
SessionPoster Session 2
DescriptionBack-support exoskeletons are increasingly becoming popular to be used in manual material handling (MMH), yet their effectiveness across diverse task demands remains unclear. We evaluated five back-support exoskeletons - ranging from soft-passive to rigid-powered designs during two tasks: static hold assembly (SHA) and push/pull (PP). Twenty healthy adults (10M, 10F) performed these tasks while trunk extensor muscle activity, perceived exertion, discomfort, and device preference were recorded. In SHA tasks, the rigid-passive Ottobock exoskeleton significantly reduced TrunkExt activity by up to 43 percent, while the rigid-powered Apogee and passive Hapo devices increased activity. In PP tasks, exoskeletons generally increased TrunkExt activity during pulling, while pushing saw moderate reductions for most devices. Despite low perceived exertion and discomfort, subjective preferences did not always align with EMG results. Overall, findings highlight substantial variability in exoskeleton effectiveness depending on design and task type, with some devices offering support in specific conditions and others potentially increasing muscle demand. This study contributes to the limited comparative literature on exoskeleton use in non-lifting tasks and highlights the importance of task-specific evaluations for optimal device selection.
Event Type
Poster
TimeWednesday, October 15th5:30pm - 6:30pm CDT
LocationRiverside East
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