Paul Collins works on the production line at the Ford plant in Michigan, USA . His functions regularly involve an elevated position of the arms, above the head. Obviously, at the end of the day, the back, neck, and shoulders feel a lot of stress. He is one of the perfect candidates to test Ford's latest innovation: an exoskeleton for the torso that gives your arms extra support as you go about your business.
EksoVest, as it is called, aims to reduce fatigue and possible injuries while performing tasks on the assembly line. When we consider that the same task, which requires looking up and stretching your arms above your head, is repeated 4600 times a day and up to a million times a year, we realize how this type of equipment can benefit the worker.
adaptable and comfortable
The vest, the result of a partnership between Ford and Ekso Bionics, lifts and supports the operator's arms while he performs this type of task. The EksoVest fits people of different heights — whether 1.5 or 2.0 meters — and is comfortable to wear as it is very light and allows the worker to continue to move their arms freely.
EksoVest does not feature any type of motorized mechanism, but allows variable and adjustable lifting assistance between 2.2 kg and 6.8 kg per arm . For workers enrolled in the pilot program, the advantages of this exoskeleton are obvious. In the words of Paul Collins, “since I started wearing the vest, I'm not so sore and I have more energy to play with my grandchildren when I get home”.
Russ Angold, co-founder and chief technology officer of Ekso BionicsWorking in cooperation with Ford allowed us to test and optimize previous EksoVest prototypes, based on feedback from their production line workers. The result is a wearable tool that reduces pressure on the body, reducing the possibility of injury, and helping them feel better at the end of the day—boosting productivity and morale.
The pilot program is currently taking place at two Ford plants, but there are plans to expand them to Europe and South America. According to the American brand, EksoVest is the latest example of advanced technology applied to production lines in order to reduce physical stress and risk of injury.
Between 2005 and 2016, Ford saw an 83% reduction in the number of incidents at its North American units that resulted in days off, job restrictions or job transfers, to a record low of 1.55 incidents per 100 workers.