Tag: exoskeleton

OM in the News: Wearable Technology in the Warehouse

“Your next load of groceries may be moved by a modern-day bionic man or woman writes,” The Wall Street Journal (June 30, 2021). The U.S. supply-chain arm of supermarket chains Stop & Shop and Food Lion is expanding its use of a newer type of wearable robotic technology that workers strap on to help ease the strain of lifting heavy boxes all day.

exoskeleton2

The devices known as exosuits (shown in the photo) are a tech-filled step beyond the back belts that blue-collar workers often wear, laced with sensors and algorithms that detect how workers move and help them lift and load as they work though warehouses.

The devices are the latest entry in a distribution sector wrestling with concerns over worker safety and health in warehouse operations that have boomed over the past year as consumers under pandemic lockdowns have turned to ordering goods online.

Amazon.com has stepped up injury-prevention programs amid criticism of working conditions in its big fulfillment centers and warehouse operators are testing other technology aimed at reducing injuries from repetitive tasks.

Companies have turned to more use of robots in warehousing operations but many tasks requiring fine-motor skills still must be performed by people. Cambridge, Mass.-based Verve Motion says its battery-powered devices can reduce 30% to 40% of the strain from lifting, helping relieve workers’ backs without restricting their movements.

Classroom discussion questions:

  1. Why are Amazon and food warehouses implementing exoskeletons in warehouses?
  2. What are the disadvantages of such devices?

OM in the News: Delta Air Lines and the Exoskeleton

Delta Air Lines is partnering with Sarcos Robotics to explore new employee technology fit for a superhero—a mobile and dexterous exoskeleton designed to boost employees’ physical capabilities and bolster their safety, reports New Equipment Digest (Jan. 15, 2020). Sarcos, the world’s leader in exoskeleton development, has developed a battery-powered, full-body exoskeleton designed to increase human performance and endurance while helping to prevent injury.

This robotic suit, designed for employees to wear, does the heavy lifting. By bearing the weight of the suit and the payload, the exoskeleton may enable an employee to lift up to 200 pounds repeatedly for 8 hours at a time without strain or fatigue. The Sancos model is designed for use in industries where lifting and manipulation of heavy materials or awkward objects are required and aren’t easily handled by standard lift equipment. (This is a topic we discuss in the Ergonomics section of Chapter 10 in our text).

Potential uses at Delta could include handling freight at Delta Cargo warehouses, moving maintenance components at Delta TechOps or lifting heavy machinery and parts for ground support equipment. Exploring how advanced tools and tech can better support employees is one way Delta aims to improve workplace safety.

In addition to enabling superhuman strength for extended periods, the robotic suit may also level the playing field in terms of physical capacity. Roles that have historically been limited to those who meet specific strength requirements could potentially be performed by a more diverse talent pool, thanks to wearable robotics.

Classroom discussion questions:

  1. Discuss the OM implications of such an exoskeleton.
  2.  Identify other potential industries/applications.

OM in the News: The Rise of the Exoskeleton

Exoskeleton at a Ford plant

In the weld shop of Toyota’s huge Ontario plant, workers inspect the steel frame of a RAV4. The men raise their arms overhead as they move ultrasonic wands over metal to test the integrity of dozens of welds. Until a few months ago, this task was performed by seated workers wielding hammers and chisels. But the latest RAV4 uses a lighter, stronger steel that requires ultrasonic testing. A new frame arrives every 60 seconds. The prolonged reaching is shoulder-breaking work, the kind that can lead to debilitating injuries and decreased productivity.

But these workers are assisted by exoskeletons, wearable devices made by Levitate Technologies. The upper-body frames use a system of springs, cables and pulleys to transfer weight from the arms to the outside of the hips, easing the strain of overhead work. When a worker raises his arms, the exoskeleton provides a counterweight that makes the arms feel buoyant, as if the upper body is suspended in water. The system gradually releases as the limbs are lowered, allowing the arms to hang unassisted.

Exoskeletons may one day become commonplace on factory floors, construction sites and film sets. Toyota is the first large manufacturer to require the use of exoskeletons, but Ford uses about 100 exoskeletons across 16 plants in 8 countries. BMW has 66 in use at its Spartanburg, S.C., plant, while Boeing will use a couple hundred by mid-year.

There are upper-body, lower-body and full-body models. Most range in price from $4,000-$6,000, weigh 5-10 pounds and require a one-time adjustment to a user’s frame. Factory workers who’ve tried exoskeletons report less back and shoulder pain, and go home at night more active and relaxed. “Ultimately,” writes The Wall Street Journal (Jan. 19-20, 2019), “the hope is that the devices will reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders, which cost employers about $50 billion annually.”

Classroom discussion questions:
1. What is ergonomics and how is this an ergonomic device?

2. What other issues in the work environment can impact performance, safety, and quality of life?