Field-Based Assessment of Joint Motions in Construction Tasks with and Without Exoskeletons in Support of Worker-Exoskeleton Partnership Modeling and Simulation

Construction workers are required to perform repetitive, physically demanding manual handling work which may pose severe risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. Exoskeletons have substantial potential to protect worker safety and well-being and increase construction productivity by augmenting and complementing workers' physical abilities. However, a key barrier for their adoption in construction is the lack of rigorous research-based real-world evaluation of the beneficial impact of exoskeleton use in practice. As the foundational step to address this issue, this paper presents a field-based assessment to reconstruct and analyze worker joint motions with and without back- and shoulder-assisted exoskeletons in two construction tasks: pushing/emptying gondolas and installing/removing wooden blocks between steel studs. The findings from this research will inform future investigations on worker-exoskeleton partnership to model and simulate the impact on worker and work performance from various perspectives including biomechanics, ergonomics, productivity, and profitability.