According to the data from Brain Injury Association of America, every 9 seconds, someone in the US endures a brain injury and one of every 60 people in the U.S. lives with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) -related disability. Additionally, factory workers suffer injuries caused by slip and falls, use of repetitive heavy machinery, falling objects, etc.
Powered exoskeleton may be an option to help patients stand and walk during rehabilitation. Powered exoskeleton also prevent injury from heavy lifting or repetitive use of machinery because it supports human body (i.e. shoulders, legs, hips), reduce errors from fatigue, and assists movement when workers need to lift and hold heavy items.
Exoskeleton (also known as power armor, powered armor, powered suit, etc.) is a wearable mobile machine that is powered by a system of electric motors, pneumatics, levers, hydraulics, or a combination of technologies that allow for limb movement with increased strength and endurance (from Wikipedia).
Most of the challenges in designs are in the areas of weight, power supply, cost, joint actuators, power control, human size variations, and Joint flexibility. Poor design of Mobility aids leads to frequently abandoned or discarded systems due to lack of usability and safety concerns. However, we hope that continue growth and application of engineering development will lead to better designs and affordability.
These exoskeletons can help prevent worker injury
(YouTube from the Verge Dec 5, 2017)
Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Paralyzed Man Race Marathons
(YouTube Premiered Aug 7, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBtXHGEezJA
Additional information exoskeleton:
eksobionics: https://eksobionics.com/eksohealth/
Rewalk Robotics: https://rewalk.com/
Parker: https://investors.parker.com/news-releases/news-release-details/parker-releases-new-indego-therapy-exoskeleton
Indigo: http://www.indego.com/indego/us/en/home
Suitx: https://www.suitx.com/