Ergonomic Assessment of Work Activities for an Industrial-oriented Wrist Exoskeleton

TL;DR

This study assesses ergonomic risks in saddle-making work activities to inform the design of a wrist exoskeleton aimed at reducing musculoskeletal disorder risks among workers.

Contribution

It provides an ergonomic evaluation of work activities to guide the development of a wrist exoskeleton for industrial use.

Findings

Identification of high-risk work activities for MSDs.

Quantitative muscle activation data during tasks.

Recommendations for exoskeleton design improvements.

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are the most common cause of work-related injuries and lost production involving approximately 1.7 billion people worldwide and mainly affect low back (more than 50%) and upper limbs (more than 40%). It has a profound effect on both the workers affected and the company. This paper provides an ergonomic assessment of different work activities in a horse saddle-making company, involving 5 workers. This aim guides the design of a wrist exoskeleton to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal diseases wherever it is impossible to automate the production process. This evaluation is done either through subjective and objective measurement, respectively using questionnaires and by measurement of muscle activation with sEMG sensors.