A Supernumerary Soft Robotic Limb for Reducing Hand-Arm Vibration Syndromes Risks

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Occupational Safety
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are often caused by joint overloading, poor posture, and vibrations.
• Existing solutions include human-robot collaboration and exoskeletons.
• Supernumerary robotic limbs (SRLs) offer a novel approach as wearable protective equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore SRLs as a new generation of personal protective equipment.
• To present an SRL system designed to reduce arm vibration and upper limb joint load.
• To evaluate the system's efficacy in a simulated industrial setting.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a wearable gravity compensation system with a soft robotic hand and a custom damping wrist.
• Design of the damping wrist based on a mass-spring-damper model.
• Experimental testing with seven subjects performing a simulated industrial drilling task, adhering to ISO-5349 standards.

Main Results:

• The SRL system demonstrated a 40% to 60% reduction in vibration transmission compared to traditional hand drilling.
• No compromise in time performance was observed during the drilling tasks.
• The system effectively mitigated vibration and reduced load on upper limb joints.

Conclusions:

• SRLs represent a promising advancement in personal protective equipment for reducing occupational hazards.
• The developed SRL system effectively reduces vibration exposure and joint load in industrial tasks.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve worker safety and reduce the incidence of WMSDs.