Occupational Exoskeletons

Musculoskeletal disorders account for more than 25% of all sick days and are the most common cause of absenteeism in Germany and most industrialized countries. The main causes are non-ergonomic working conditions, such as working in physically demanding positions or lifting and carrying heavy objects. In Germany, around a quarter of all workers are affected.

In many areas where technical and organizational improvements have already been exhausted, exoskeletons are increasingly becoming a promising option for effectively relieving workers of heavy physical labor. These body-worn assistance systems provide biomechanical support for the human musculoskeletal system, targeting areas of the body that are subject to excessive strain, such as the lower back or shoulder complex. A growing number of laboratory and field studies have already proven their effectiveness, but also show that a thorough understanding of their application is essential. Furthermore, it has already been demonstrated that the introduction of exoskeletons has significantly reduced the risk of injury and the associated costs. It is therefore expected that exoskeletons will help prevent musculoskeletal disorders in the future.

For almost 10 years, an interdisciplinary team at Fraunhofer IPA has been working on exoskeletons, both in terms of their design and impact from a biomechanical and ergonomic perspective, and in terms of their technical implementation, with the aim of adapting the mechatronic design as intuitively as possible to human needs. Since 2019, we have been organizing the WearRAcon Europe Conference every two years in collaboration with the Wearable Robotics Association – a congress dedicated exclusively to exoskeletons. In 2021, the Exoworkathlon® was launched in parallel. Since then, experienced trainees from various mechatronic training courses have been completing courses that have been specially developed with industry. Various measurement sensors are used to collect prospective data in order to determine the effects with and without an exoskeleton.

Do you have an ergonomic challenge and see exoskeletons as a possible solution?

With more than 100 exoskeletons on the market, this is no easy task, as each system can have its advantages in different areas. Using proven methods, our experts in ergonomics, physiotherapy, and sports science analyze your work processes and conditions and help you select the right solution. They support you in systematically testing the systems with your workforce and assist you with implementation and establishment as needed.

You intend to enter this rapidly growing market and want to develop your own solution or a solution for a special application?

We also support you competently as a development partner and make our technical skills and our many years of know-how available to you. We work with you to implement effective and practicable technical solutions to support workers performing heavy physical work.

As a manufacturer, you want to evaluate your developments or, as a user, want to examine the benefits of a solution?

We carry out an evaluation for you as an independent partner in all confidentiality, from punctual tests to a full-fledged study. In addition to subjective impressions, we can also assess a broad category of objective parameters, including as muscle activity, movement behavior and/or physical stress during use of the exoskeleton.

Feel free to contact us, we look forward to working with you!