Fabric-Based, Pneumatic Exosuit for Lower-Back Support in Manual-Handling Tasks

Author:

Cuttilan Amit Nirmal1,Natividad Rainier F.2,Yeow Raye Chen-Hua2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Division of Graduate Medical Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore

2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore

Abstract

Lower-back pain (LBP) is a major cause of occupational disability and morbidity. This study investigates the effectiveness of a fabric-based pneumatic exosuit in reducing discomfort and lumbar muscle activation in healthy individuals who are performing manual-handling tasks. The suit combines the comfort of soft exosuits and the support of rigid exoskeletons. Ten healthy subjects performed a circuit of lifting tasks, simulating manual-handling work, with and without AireLevate support. We assessed the comfort levels and ease of task completion via a questionnaire after each manual-handling task. There was no difference in spinal range of motion, local discomfort, or general discomfort of activities with or without the AireLevate. There was a statistically significant reduction in muscle activation of the erector spinae at the L-5 level with AireLevate support (p < 0.02). This study demonstrates the exosuit’s ability in reducing lower-back muscle activation during manual-handling tasks, while maintaining comfort and mobility. Practitioner summary: We developed a soft exosuit which was shown to significantly reduce the muscle action of the erector muscles of the lumbar spine. In addition, participants perceived that the suit was easy to use and did not limit manual-handling tasks.

Funder

National Robotics Programme—Robotics Enabling Capabilities and Technologies

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Control and Optimization,Control and Systems Engineering

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