Active back-support exo-skeletons: How assistive strategies determine effectiveness

The potential versatility of active exoskeletons is achieved by appropriately modulating their actuation forces. This is done by assistive strategies that interpret user’s movements and assistance needs during operation. This article shows how different strategies determine the effectiveness of an active back-support exoskeleton designed to...

Rationale, implementation and evaluation of assistive strategies for an active back-support exoskeleton

Active exoskeletons are potentially more effective and versatile than passive ones, but designing them poses a number of additional challenges. An important open challenge in the field is associated to the assistive strategy, by which the actuation forces are modulated to the user's needs during the physical activity. This paper addresses this...

Safety and Risk Management in Designing for the Lifecycle of an Exoskeleton: A Novel Process Developed in the Robo-Mate Project

Standards for the Safety of Exoskeletons Used by Industrial Workers Performing Manual Handling Activities: A Contribution from the Robo-Mate Project to their Future Development

Preface to the special issue: Cybernetic manufacturing systems project-ergonomics solutions for flexible production systems

Cost-effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in production

Ergonomic measures to reduce or eliminate the risks for developing musculoskeletal disorders, usually affects the performance at work as well, e.g. productivity or quality. The costs and benefits that can be associated with ergonomic measures are highly diverse in nature. Prior to investing in any ergonomic measure, it is useful to be aware of...