Assessing the influence of a passive, upper extremity exoskeletal vest for tasks requiring arm elevation: Part II - "Unexpected" effects on shoulder motion, balance, and spine loading.

Autor: Kim S; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, USA., Nussbaum MA; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, USA. Electronic address: nussbaum@vt.edu., Mokhlespour Esfahani MI; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, USA., Alemi MM; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA., Jia B; Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Rd., Dearborn, MI 48126, USA., Rashedi E; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Applied ergonomics [Appl Ergon] 2018 Jul; Vol. 70, pp. 323-330. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Mar 07.
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2018.02.024
Abstrakt: Adopting a new technology (exoskeletal vest designed to support overhead work) in the workplace can be challenging since the technology may pose unexpected safety and health consequences. A prototype exoskeletal vest was evaluated for potential unexpected consequences with a set of evaluation tests for: usability (especially, donning & doffing), shoulder range of motion (ROM), postural control, slip & trip risks, and spine loading during overhead work simulations. Donning/doffing the vest was easily done by a wearer alone. The vest reduced the max. shoulder abduction ROM by ∼10%, and increased the mean center of pressure velocity in the anteroposterior direction by ∼12%. However, vest use had minimal influences on trip-/slip-related fall risks during level walking, and significantly reduced spine loadings (up to ∼30%) especially during the drilling task. Use of an exoskeletal vest can be beneficial, yet the current evaluation tests should be expanded for more comprehensiveness, to enable the safe adoption of the technology.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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