Industrial Equipment, Workwear

Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton helping to reduce injury

German medical technology company Ottobock is revolutionising the capacity for manual overhead labour with innovative wearable tech body suit, the Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton, which could provide major benefits when it comes to the Australian construction industry.

Ottobock-Paexo-Shoulder-exoskeleton

The upper body exoskeleton, which is now being used in 500 plants and factories worldwide, has just launched in the Australian market following its initial release in Europe 18 months ago. There it has already been snapped up by businesses in the construction and internal fit-out industries.

The Paexo Shoulder is a passive exoskeleton which does not need an energy supply, so it can be donned within a moment’s notice without the need to power up. Workers wear the exoskeleton close to their body, similar to a backpack. It provides mechanical support for individual body segments in certain postures and movements through the interplay of springs or elastic bands.

The exoskeleton was designed to relieve muscular stress for workers who specifically spend long periods of time working with their arms raised. When people wearing the Paexo Shoulder raise their arms, pads around the biceps transfer weight to the hips thanks to mechanical cable pull technology.

It provides noticeable relief for the muscles and joints in the shoulder region. This makes it particularly beneficial for people such as plasterers, painters, electricians, builders, assembly line workers or anyone else in the construction, general maintenance or repair fields, required to do intricate or repetitive tasks overhead.

With people now living on average well into their eighties and beyond, and retirement age becoming older, the issue for many companies is how to retain and support staff as their health needs increase, particularly those specialising in manual tasks.

German company Thor Industries GmbH & Co. KG provides qualified staff for the household, building and supply technology sector and was one of the first companies in Europe to use the Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton.

“Our employees were delighted by the way the exo immediately relieved strain on their muscles, for example during overhead welding or electrical installations under ceilings,” Thor CEO Kersten Thor says.

“Exoskeletons also make jobs in industrial assembly more attractive. They can increase employee loyalty and help us recruit new employees.”

 

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