Abstract
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) pose substantial health and economic challenges, affecting a significant portion of the workforce. This study investigates the efficacy of the PAEXO Shoulder exoskeleton in addressing WMSDs during repetitive arm movements, a common risk factor in various industries. Through a comprehensive evaluation utilizing objective measures such as surface electromyography (sEMG), Blood Volume Pulse (BVP), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), and joint angles, alongside subjective assessments including perceived exertion and user questionnaires, the study sheds light on the exoskeleton’s impact on worker well-being. Preliminary results suggest a reduction in muscle contraction and physiological parameters indicate decreased fatigue when utilizing the exoskeleton during tasks. Furthermore, from the results concerning the joint angles, the exoskeleton proved to preserve natural shoulder movement while maintaining user comfort. The subjective feedback from participants aligns with the objective findings, indicating reduced fatigue and favorable experiences with the exoskeleton’s usability and functionality. These findings suggest the potential of the PAEXO shoulder exoskeleton technology in promoting worker health, yet emphasize the need for further research to confirm its efficacy in real work settings over extended periods.
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Acknowledgements
This research has received funding from the project Vitality - Project Code ECS00000041, CUP I33C22001330007 - funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.5 - ’Creation and strengthening of innovation ecosystems,’ construction of ’territorial leaders in R &D’ - Innovation Ecosystems - Project ’Innovation, digitalization and sustainability for the diffused economy in Central Italy - VITALITY’ Call for tender No. 3277 of 30/12/2021, and Concession Decree No. 0001057.23-06-2022 of Italian Ministry of University funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU.
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Terlizzi, S., Tonelli, S., Scoccia, C., Costa, D., Palmieri, G. (2024). Upper Limbs Industrial Exoskeletons: An Objective and Subjective Evaluation Method. In: Quaglia, G., Boschetti, G., Carbone, G. (eds) Advances in Italian Mechanism Science. IFToMM Italy 2024. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol 164. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-64569-3_8
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