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Task complexity in exoskeleton setup and takedown: Procedural steps and usability problems as predictors of
Jessica Sanchez-Balandran1, Alejandra Martinez Fernandez1, Laura Tovar1
1Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering Department, Physical, Information and Cognitive Human Factors Engineering (PIC-HFE) Research Laboratory, Industrial, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America.
Occupational exoskeleton setup and takedown procedures are complex, impacting industrial adoption. Task complexity, particularly the number of steps, significantly predicts completion time and success, highlighting a key deployment barrier.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Ergonomics
- Industrial Engineering
Background:
- Occupational exoskeletons offer potential to reduce physical strain in industrial settings.
- Limited industrial adoption of exoskeletons is partly due to setup and takedown complexities.
- Understanding these procedures is crucial for successful exoskeleton deployment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how task complexity (steps, usability, parts) affects exoskeleton setup and takedown times and success.
- To identify deployment barriers related to exoskeleton setup and takedown procedures.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-nine participants performed setup (assembly, donning) and takedown (doffing, disassembly) of four exoskeletons.
- Task times, success rates, and task complexity metrics (steps, parts, usability issues) were recorded.
- Hierarchical task analysis and heuristic assessments were used to evaluate task complexity.
Main Results:
- Setup tasks, especially assembly, were time-consuming and had higher failure rates than takedown.
- The number of procedural steps was the strongest predictor of completion time (66.9% variance), with each step adding ~22 seconds.
- Usability problems also significantly impacted completion time, while part count did not.
Conclusions:
- Task complexity, particularly the number of steps and usability issues, significantly impacts exoskeleton setup and takedown efficiency.
- The number of procedural steps is a primary predictor of setup performance, not the part count.
- Addressing task complexity in setup procedures is essential to overcome deployment barriers for occupational exoskeletons.
