SMART ACTIVE EXOSKELETON FOR GREENHOUSE WORKS
GOGOA Mobility Robots SL, a company dedicated to the design and production of exoskeletons, and the Foundation for Auxiliary Technologies of Agriculture (TECNOVA), a research and innovation centre for the agricultural sector, have started the activities of the EXO-Green project, whose objective is to adapt, test and validate an active exoskeleton for lumbar support in real working conditions, with advanced features based on the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques, and specially adapted to the requirements of greenhouse works. The project is funded by the European Union, under the DIH-World initiative.
The motivation for this project is that not all activities necessary in greenhouse production can be fully automated or robotized. Unfortunately, some of these activities must continue to be performed manually, even if they place great physical strain on the workers. Wearable robotic systems (exoskeletons) can help workers involved in these tasks, helping to reduce fatigue and decrease musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), which represent 93% of occupational diseases in the agricultural sector, being the shoulders and lumbar segments the most affected.
However, the practical use of exoskeletons in agriculture often faces technical and non-technical challenges, due to the very low rate of introduction of this new technology in the agricultural sector. The project seeks to overcome these barriers that hinder the extensive use of exoskeletons in agricultural activities, adapting and testing in real working conditions in greenhouse works an active exoskeleton for lumbar support characterized by a disruptive level of autonomy, modularity and natural interaction with the user, based on AI algorithms implemented in the control. To verify and validate the device in these working conditions, parameters such as safety, usability, quality, reliability and satisfaction will be evaluated, using different measurement equipment and questionnaires. The results of the project will allow stakeholders to identify the development directions of exoskeletons in this sector and support a more rapid evolution of the market.
For more information:
Juantxu Martin - GOGOA - mail: jmartin@gogoa.eu
Guadalupe Lopez - TECNOVA - mail: glopez@fundaciontecnova.com