I-Corps: Translation Potential of Back Support Exoskeleton Technology

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is the development of a back support device that assists users with bending and lifting tasks. Currently, more than 25% of the 80 million U.S. workers must lift objects that weigh more than 50 pounds on a regular basis. As a result, more than 120,000 of these workers sustain lower back injuries each year from repetitive lifting resulting in productivity losses, high employee turnover, and lower quality of life.

This technology is a back exoskeleton or exosuit, which relieves loads from the back and reduces the risk of injuries or pain. This technology may be used in occupations such as manufacturing, logistics, nursing and emergency medicine, construction, mining, and retail stores. Each of these occupations has a relatively high rate of back injuries due to the repetitive lifting or lifting of heavy objects required for the job.

This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of a back support exoskeleton that assists users with bending and lifting tasks. The technology is designed to make a lifted object feel between 35-50 pounds lighter to the user's back. The design is completely passive, using no motors or batteries.

Instead, it utilizes a lightweight fiberglass leaf spring that stores energy when bending and releases the energy to assist when standing up. The exoskeleton looks and feels like a lightweight backpack with leg straps, weighing only 5.5 pounds, and it can be put on in 15 seconds. The combination of the fiberglass spring and a specifically designed differential mechanism allow users to seamlessly go about their work while the device assists them with lifting tasks, without hindering them during walking and without needing to engage or disengage the exoskeleton.

A prototype has been shown to decrease muscle activity by over 30% during lifting, which reduces strain on the back, lowering the risk of injury. In addition, the technology also decreases the energy required during lifting, improving overall user well-being. Compared to other back exoskeletons, this device is simpler yet provides three times more support to the back, which may help to reduce back injuries.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.