Effects of an occupational soft-back exoskeleton during order picking: a field study in logistics

The use of exoskeletons is increasingly considered as a solution to reduce workers' exposure to physical risk factors, such as low-back disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the CORFOR^® occupational soft-back exoskeleton on trunk muscle activity and kinematics during an order picking manual task performed in the field. 10 workers, with at least 4 weeks' experience using the exoskeleton, performed a 1.5-hour order picking task with and without the exoskeleton. Trunk muscle activity, upper-body kinematics and the exoskeleton's acceptance were assessed. Erector spinae muscle activity was significantly reduced by 7.5% with the use of the exoskeleton. Moreover, trunk flexor muscles activity, trunk kinematics, or low-back pain were not affected. Further, the acceptance of the exoskeleton was rated as favourable. Thus, at least in the test company, the integration of the CORFOR^® exoskeleton for order picking tasks is promising.