How Intermittent Interruption Affects Lifting Performance with a Back-Support Exoskeleton

抄録

Lifting tasks are fundamental in industries such as logistics, manufacturing, and construction. Back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) help reduce spinal loading during lifting and may potentially alleviate lower back pain. However, collaborative lifting performance can be easily affected by workplace interruptions, such as alarms and notifications. This study investigates how BSE effectiveness varies with interruption frequency. Ten male participants performed a repetitive low-load lifting task, during which we measured muscle activity (erector spinae and upper trapezius), load positioning accuracy, and subjective workload, using the Laevo FLEX as a representative BSE.

Our results indicate that the BSE effectively reduced erector spinae muscle activity and overall subjective workload, regardless of interruption frequency. Interestingly, our data revealed that upper trapezius muscle activity increased over time when the BSE was worn. These findings provide valuable insights for improving work environments and ensuring that the benefits of exoskeletons are sustained even under cognitively demanding conditions.