Exoskeleton for upper limbs in meat processing industry: Influence on muscle activity and physical effort

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Biomechanics
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Brazil's pork industry involves numerous slaughterhouses with manual labor.
• Workers face risks of repetitive strain injuries and poor posture.
• Meat processing tasks often require repetitive upper-limb movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess an exoskeleton's effectiveness in lowering physical effort during meat processing.
• To evaluate the usability of exoskeletons for workers in dynamic, repetitive tasks.
• To measure the impact of exoskeleton use on upper-limb muscle activity.

Main Methods:

• Seventeen workers performed repetitive arm elevation tasks with and without an exoskeleton.
• Surface electromyography (sEMG) measured muscle activity in the deltoids.
• Subjective workload was assessed using the BORG scale and a usability questionnaire.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in mean muscle activity was observed in the right medial deltoid (p=0.0440).
• Medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen's d) indicated reduced biomechanical demand for medial and left anterior deltoids.
• No significant reductions in peak muscle activity were found across all analyzed muscles.

Conclusions:

• The exoskeleton shows potential for reducing muscle load and offering ergonomic benefits in meat processing.
• Further research is needed for anthropometric adjustments and industrial integration.
• Optimization and adaptation are key for widespread adoption and maximizing benefits.