research

Is wearing an exoskeleton safe for the user?

The growing use of exoskeletons in industry is raising concerns about the safety of their users.

While exoskeletons used in rehabilitation can help patients regain functional movement by restoring asymptomatic joint coordination, what about exoskeletons used in industry? Long-term, repeated use of exoskeletons could lead to changes in motor behavior, or even musculoskeletal disorders. The answer to this question is all the more complex in that it’s not enough to focus solely on hand dynamics. As the human body is redundant, the same hand movement can be performed with different joint movements.

The aim of my research is to analyze the impact of exoskeletons on inter-joint coordination induced by repeated use of this type of device. I’m studying the short- and long-term effects of low amplitude perturbations generated by a robotic exoskeleton. I hope to contribute to a better understanding of the physiological and functional implications of exoskeleton use, paving the way for safer use of these rapidly expanding devices.

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