Hard at work: A review of the Laevo Exoskeleton

Back pain is one of the leading causes of work absenteeism in the UK, with 8.8 million days lost to work-related muscoskeletal disorders per year. On average, each case causes 16 days of absenteeism, and chronic conditions can cause some absences to become permanent.

But working in a bent forward, back straining posture is unavoidable in a great many professions, like in hospital, agricultural and warehouses environments to name but a few. This regular exposure to demanding postures increases the risk of debilitating pain, which can severely reduce productivity and moral in the workforce.

The Laevo Exoskeleton aims to alleviate this problem. The Laevo is a unique, wearable back-support that aids users working in a bent forward posture or lifting objects. The wearable frame carries part of the upper body weight of the user, thereby decreasing the strain on the lower back and improves the long-term employability of employees.

Video 1: The product

Video 2: See it in action

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Philip English (aka "Robo-Phil) spends his days going to Robotics conventions, reviewing the latest Robots, interviewing Industry experts and trawling the internet for exciting news...

Philip English (aka "Robo-Phil) spends his days going to Robotics conventions, reviewing the latest Robots, interviewing Industry experts and trawling the internet for exciting news...