Hondzinski Jan M, Ikuma Laura, de Queiroz Marcio, Wang Chao
School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Work. 2018;61(4):575-588. doi: 10.3233/WOR-162827.
An exoskeleton may assist performance of basic work-related tasks. Its application should not alter user kinematics, which compromise user safety.
This case study was used to assess whether people wearing a lower-body K-SRDTM exoskeleton could complete common work tasks without altering kinematics that may increase injury risk.
Three males performed three tasks: kneeling and standing (kneel), lifting and lowering a weighted box floor-to-waist (lift), and stair-climbing with a weighted box (climb), all repeated with and without exoskeleton use (EXO, NONE).
Kinematics with EXO often mimicked NONE. Hip and knee flexion with EXO often exceeded NONE without increasing heart rate for kneel. During lift with EXO, participants avoided greater lateral trunk flexion associated with injuries and used the preferred semi-squat technique. Participants produced more foot clearance with EXO than NONE during climb. Other outcomes of heart rate, perceived exertion, fatigue, and usability were mixed.
EXO augmentation does not need to alter movement kinematics during performances of kneel, lift, and climb tasks. EXO kinematic alterations did not appear to compromise user safety in terms of lateral trunk bending. It may encourage good technique, such as greater foot clearance to avoid tripping, for some tasks, and changes in lifting strategies to avoid extreme flexion and protect passive tissues.
外骨骼可辅助完成与工作相关的基本任务。其应用不应改变用户的运动学特征，否则会危及用户安全。
本案例研究旨在评估穿着下身K-SRDTM外骨骼的人在不改变可能增加受伤风险的运动学特征的情况下，是否能够完成常见的工作任务。
三名男性完成三项任务：跪立（跪）、将一个加重箱从地面举到腰部再放下（举）以及携带加重箱爬楼梯（爬），每项任务均在使用外骨骼（EXO）和不使用外骨骼（NONE）的情况下重复进行。
使用EXO时的运动学特征常与不使用时相似。在跪的动作中，使用EXO时髋关节和膝关节的屈曲程度常超过不使用时，且心率未增加。在举的动作中，使用EXO时参与者避免了与受伤相关的更大程度的躯干侧屈，并采用了更偏好的半蹲技术。在爬楼梯时，使用EXO比不使用时参与者的脚离地间隙更大。心率、主观用力程度、疲劳和可用性等其他结果则好坏参半。
在进行跪、举和爬任务时，外骨骼辅助并不需要改变运动学特征。就躯干侧屈而言，外骨骼引起的运动学改变似乎并未危及用户安全。对于某些任务，它可能会鼓励良好的技术动作，比如增加脚离地间隙以避免绊倒，以及改变举物策略以避免过度屈曲并保护被动组织。
