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The Effect of Wearing an Exosuit on Physiological Stress during Manual Lifting Activities Preliminary Results
Location: 73
Mentor: Dr. Francesco Travascio
Manual lifting tasks in the Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities sectors are known for their significant contribution to overexertion injuries, leading to high workers' compensation costs. This study assesses the efficacy of an exosuit designed to enhance metabolic performance and reduce fatigue during such tasks. Inspired by the design principles outlined by Bhardwaj et al. (2023), the exosuit incorporates a brace, moment arm, and thigh cuffs to effectively redistribute loads across the body.
ABSTRACT TITLE
Location:
Mentor: Dr.
Manual lifting tasks in the Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities sectors are known for their significant contribution to overexertion injuries, leading to high workers' compensation costs. This study assesses the efficacy of an exosuit designed to enhance metabolic performance and reduce fatigue during such tasks. Inspired by the design principles outlined by Bhardwaj et al. (2023), the exosuit incorporates a brace, moment arm, and thigh cuffs to effectively redistribute loads across the body.
In a series of retests, eight participants (5 males and 3 females) who were available from the original cohort of ten participants (6 males and 4 females) performed standardized lifting tasks under the same conditions with and without the exosuit. Metabolic expenditure was assessed using KORR’s CardioCoachCO2, while subjective fatigue was measured using the Borg scale.
Preliminary findings did not demonstrate noticeable reduction in metabolic expenditure or perceived fatigue for this preliminary retested cohort, which did not include any obese participants. Given that individuals with higher BMI (>30) are often more impacted by repetitive lifting, future studies will investigate whether the exosuit provides more substantial benefits to obese subjects. These subsequent investigations aim to confirm potential benefits and explore broader implications for integrating exosuit technology in occupational settings to mitigate risks associated with manual labor tasks.
