Acceptance of an upper body exoskeleton for occupational tasks among soldiers

This study investigated the user experience and perceived acceptance of a shoulder exoskeleton during Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) tasks in a military context. While laboratory research on the same system has shown measurable reductions in muscle activity of 29%-41%, the present field study focused on how end users subjectively evaluate the exoskeleton.

Twenty-seven soldiers of the German Armed Forces tested the exoskeleton for approximately 30 min while completing standardized scenarios, including overhead lifting, vehicle decontamination with a spray lance, and casualty rescue. Immediately afterward, participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing usability, wearing comfort, impact on work routine, perceived support, usefulness, skepticism, and intention to use.

Overall, the exoskeleton was rated as easy to operate (mean item score: 5.15 ± 1.31 on a 7-point scale) and reasonably comfortable to wear (4.64 ± 1.31). Compatibility with work routines and perceived usefulness received moderate ratings (3.79 ± 1.53 and 3.05 ± 1.64, respectively), whereas the perceived mechanical support was notably low (2.78 ± 1.78). Skepticism (2.27 ± 1.08), and intentions to use the system were moderate (3.42 ± 2.08).

The user feedback suggests that while the current design is usable and generally comfortable, acceptance may improve substantially if future systems provide a higher amount of support and an expanded functionality to address a wider variety of tasks. These findings underscore that, beyond biomechanical effectiveness, user acceptance is a critical factor for the successful implementation of exoskeletons as occupational health interventions.