The Future of Injury Prevention in Logistics Facilities—One Worker, One Wearable Exoskeleton at a Time

Imagine lifting heavy boxes to help your child move into a dormitory on a college campus. Consider the stress and strain on your back with each lift, compounded through repetition. Now, imagine doing it every day, all day, for years. Think ahead to lifting your grandchildren up in your arms after retirement from years of strenuous manual labor without proper back support. These real-world scenarios are similar to the experiences for millions of workers in logistics facilities in the United States and around the world, feeling the aches and pains in their backs—or worse—from lifting objects at work. And companies are feeling the effects of increased liabilities and spiraling costs from workers‘ injuries on the job.

A scientific study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of wearing an exoskeleton while lifting boxes and other objects in a logistics facility. Without Paexo Back, an employee who lifts 33 lb. on piecework a day has moved a total of over 300,000 lb. across his back at the end of one week. With Paexo Back, however, it is only approximately 75,000 lb. This is a 75% improvement in reducing the stress and strain on a person’s back while doing the same amount of work. For a worker who moves 11 lb., the lifting support of Paexo Back neutralizes the package weight.