Exoskeleton pilot project shows positive results

A European pilot project in which port workers used exoskeletons to help with manual labour has shown positive results.

The Port System Authority of the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Livorno Port Company in Italy together with exoskeleton designers IUVO and Comau (a Stellantis subsidiary), have conducted a pilot study looking at wearable MATE-XT and MATE-XB exoskeletons designed by the two companies.

MATE-XT helps to reduce the muscle load on the upper limbs during static or repetitive activities, which require workers to keep their arms raised for extended periods of time, while MATE-XB relieves the muscle effort in the lumbar area when handling loads.

The field tests were carried out over a period of six months with 12 workers employed in the port area of Livorno who wore MATE exoskeletons during their daily work. During this period, the positive effects obtained at both a physical and operational level were measured and validated.

Manual, non-automatable activities such as loading and unloading goods, moving heavy loads along the dock, andlashing or unlashing containers on board ships can be extremely tiring for the operators. The support of wearable exoskeletons helps reduce physical stress and the risk of triggering potentially disabling musculoskeletal diseases over time.

To confirm this, in the initial phase of the project, IUVO and Comau conducted measurements on the muscle activity of the workers. These same workers were asked, through questionnaires, to directly assess the sensation of fatigue perceived with the use of the exoskeletons.

Not only did the operators embrace these new technologies, they have recognized the positive impact the exoskeletons can have on their activities and performance. In line with data previously collected and verified by IUVO and Comau, together with companies that have been using this technology for several years, it has been shown that the MATE-XT upper limb exoskeleton and the MATE-XB lumbar device can reduce users’ effort by up to 30 percent.

“The study conducted together with important institutions such as AdSP MTS and CPL is one of the first in Europe and in the world that aims to evaluate the effect of exoskeleton technologies for the improvement of ergonomics and safety of workers in the port system,” said Duilio Amico, CEO of IUVO and head of wearable technologies at Comau.

“This project confirms IUVO and Comau’s commitment to creating an ecosystem for the development and adoption of wearable robotics technologies that promote the well-being of workers.”