Industrial wearable exoskeletons and exosuits assessment process

Abstract

Industrial wearable exoskeletons and exosuits represent a vibrant technology with revolutionary potentials to enhance the operating conditions, health and safety of the worker. It brings forward the important social and technological goal of helping the workers instead of replacing them. An effective assessment process is a core for the sustainability and deployment of these devices in the industry. We present a process based on the evaluation criteria to validate the Impact on Worker, Appropriation to the Task, Utility to the Task, Usability and Safety. We test this criterion with the help of objective and subjective methods, which depend upon assessment techniques, assessment devices, surveys and subjective scales. In the end, we share our experience of implementing this process, and we point out industrial needs which can help future research and development directions.