Geodis lets warehouse employees in Venlo wear exoskeletons, which should provide support to the lower back while lifting and carrying objects.
The exoskeletons function as a kind of brace. When the employee bends forward, the spring system pushes back. This reduces the strain on the lower back by 40 per cent. This is a 'passive' skeleton. The device tracks the user's movements and then shifts pressure without slowing down movements. With an 'active' exoskeleton, the weight lifted by the arms is also reduced.
French company Geodis wants to support employees who sometimes lift more than 4,000 kilograms a day with the brace. Currently, three employees wear a personalised exoskeleton. Depending on their performance, Geodis plans to deploy the skeletons on a larger scale in the future.
The skeleton deployed by Geodis comes from Delft-based company Laevo, which launched the exoskeleton in 2015. On Wednesday, the company presented the LaevoV2.5, an exoskeleton that is self-assembling and can therefore be used by multiple workers. This version will be available from summer 2017.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
Image: Laevo
