Verification of effective motion assistance by a power-assist suit during crouching positions

Abstract

Lower back pain has become a serious problem in many workplaces. It is caused by lifting of heavy objects and adopting bad postures such as crouching. We have developed a power-assist suit that effectively eases the lifting-up motion. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of the assist suit in crouching positions. To this end, we selected two motion patterns of the assist suit and verified their effectiveness using a force sensor, motion analysis, and electromyography.