ExoKOOP: Passive Exoskeletons by GOGOA for a Pain-Free Agriculture

In the furrows and in the warehouses — where the working day is measured in repeated gestures and in arms that sustain the harvest — a deliberate, practical response is being trialled: ExoKOOP, a pilot project that deploys and evaluates passive exoskeletons across Basque cooperatives to mitigate musculoskeletal fatigue and enhance ergonomics without compromising productivity. This is no abstract experiment: it is an intervention in everyday toil, founded upon people, empirical evidence and practicable recommendations.

Executive summary — why this matters

ExoKOOP arises from a fundamental premise: to protect the health of those who labour the land. Its proposition is both lucid and measurable: introduce passive exoskeletons — devices without motors, based upon variable-deformation elastomers that emulate muscle-like behaviour — into genuine field and logistics tasks; quantify their effect upon posture, fatigue and performance; and distil that evidence into repeatable protocols for cooperatives. It is technology in the service of work: discreet, functional and humane.

What precisely is ExoKOOP?

ExoKOOP is an applied pilot with a clear objective: to reduce the risks posed by repetitive movement, sustained postures and manual handling. The methodology is straightforward and rigorous: compare, in authentic working conditions, cohorts operating with and without exoskeletons; record entire shifts; and gather both objective metrics and first-hand testimony from the workforce. The aim is not rhetorical demonstration but quantification and actionable outcomes.

Where and which tasks are being tested

Trials take place within cooperatives that exemplify the sector’s operational variety:

• Field — harvesting and transport: repeated cycles of picking, bending, lifting and moving boxes in seasonal crops (currently tomato and guindilla).

• Logistics — warehousing: loading and unloading, sack handling and continuous manual throughput.

The approach is realistic and whole-shift focused: we observe work in the round, not in isolated snapshots.

Who participates — the institutional and operational partnership

• KONFEKOOP (Confederation of Cooperatives of Euskadi): institutional coordinator and conduit to the cooperatives; prevention and operational liaison led by Sergio Achicallende.

• Barrenetxe S. Coop.: field trial host for agricultural operations.

• Tiendas San Isidro de Mungia S. Coop.: logistics and warehouse validation.

• GOGOA BIOENGINEERING: designer and supplier of the passive exoskeletons, provider of implantation methodology and of MonitorEX, the instrumentation platform that renders subjective experience into actionable data.

This alliance combines practical expertise with technical responsibility so that the intervention is at once respectful of operations and robust in its methodology.

Technology: passive exoskeletons — silent, purposeful support

There are no motors, no batteries — assistance is derived from intelligent materiality:

• Variable-deformation elastomers that store and return energy in a controlled fashion.

• The devices accompany movement rather than dictate it, alleviating load without impeding natural motion.

• Models under evaluation: ExoSoft (lumbar support), ExoArms (upper-limb assistance), ExoShoulder (support for overhead work) and ExoHead (cervical and scapular relief).

• Benefits include minimal maintenance, straightforward fitting, compatibility with personal protective equipment and favourable acceptance among workers.

Here, innovation is materially modest and functionally profound: simplicity serving the human body.

MonitorEX: measuring to decide, not to persuade

Where anecdote ends and policy begins, measurement must take the lead. MonitorEX captures posture and fatigue markers across full shifts, enabling:

• Quantitative comparison between cohorts with and without devices.

• Correlation of objective indicators (posture, task time, breaks) with subjective reports (perceived exertion, comfort).

• Formulation of precise guidance: which device, which setting, and which training regime deliver benefit.

The principal data collection commenced in late October, with a notable recording session on 28 October, followed by successive iterations of adjustment and worker feedback.

What has been achieved so far — trials, evidence and voices

• Deployment of multiple passive models across participating cooperatives.

• Continuous recording during authentic tasks based upon a comparative experimental design.

• Systematic feedback from workers on perceived relief, fit and usability.

• Preparation of dissemination materials: newsletters, a best-practice memo and professionally produced video content.

• Public communication: participation in an episode of Onda Vasca to present the project and foreground the perspectives of those in the field and the technical team.🎧 Listen here:https://www.ondavasca.com/la-innovacion-ha-entrado-en-el-campo-vasco-con-exoesqueletos-para-proteger-la-salud-de-los-trabajadores-agrarios/

Preliminary findings and a cautious interpretation

We do not trade in grand claims. Early indications are encouraging — there is perceived reduction in fatigue in specific tasks and positive reception where fit and instruction are meticulous — yet scaling must await robust statistical analysis and the establishment of training protocols. ExoKOOP seeks operational conclusions, not premature headlines.

Professional films and a practical memorandum

To make the learning transferable, we are producing a series of professional films that will document:

• Field demonstrations.

• Testimonies from workers and technicians.

• Adjustment procedures and operational recommendations.

These films, together with a formal best-practice memorandum, will constitute the practical handbook for those intent on replication.

Next steps — a practical roadmap

1. Conclude data collection and complete comparative analyses.

2. Publish the best-practice memorandum with technical recommendations and training protocols.

3. Release the professional video series and convene demonstration days across the Basque provinces.

4. Prepare tailored replication proposals for other cooperatives and logistics centres.

For cooperative managers — the proposition in brief

ExoKOOP offers a replicable procedure: diagnose, implement, instrument with MonitorEX, measure and deliver a concise, practicable report with clear decisions. If you oversee operations with significant physical demands and wish to evaluate an intervention with rigour, GOGOA BIOENGINEERING, in partnership with KONFEKOOP, will design and execute the pilot so that investment in health returns operational and human dividends.