The AIFRAME, made by Levitate Technologies, has already earned a CE marking as PPE in Europe and has been demonstrated to counteract fatigue and improve productivity in several trials, both internally and by independent researchers. Joseph Zawaideh, Co-Founder and VP Marketing & Business Development for the San-Diego-based company, will demonstrate the exoskeleton on the show floor center stage at the IndustryWeek Manufacturing & Technology Conference & Expo, on May 10 at 10:00 a.m.
We asked Zawaideh what to expect from the sure-to-be-uplifting experience.
NED: How did you get involved in this field?
JZ:Our background is in the manufacturing of medical device and surgical instruments industry. The AIRFRAME technology was originally invented in response to surgeons’ complaints of upper extremity fatigue in the operating room. As we developed the technology, we received requests for prototype testing within the manufacturing and assembly setting in major automotive and aerospace companies (in the US and Europe). Soon after that, international manufactures appreciated the lightweight and overall design of the AIRFRAME and started to order the product.
NED: What will you be doing on stage?
JZ:I will be demonstrating the AIRFRAME upper body passive exoskeleton and presenting validation data on the use of the technology at John Deere, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America and Vermeer Corporation.
NED: Why is it relevant in manufacturing right now?
JZ:The manufacturing industry experiences significant levels of musculoskeletal injuries and part of that is due to the aging workforce. According to the UN Population Division the number of people 65+ as a percentage of labor in the United States, Germany and Japan will be 35%, 60% and 70% respectively. The AIRFRAME can help alleviate some of these challenges.
NED: What’s the most exciting benefit?
JZ:The well-being and health of the worker who can go home comfortable at the end of shift instead of having upper extremity fatigue and aching.
NED: Where do you think this tech will be in five years?
JZ:We hope to see this technology become a standard part of the PPE ecosystem just like safety glasses.
NED: What do you hope attendees will take away from this demo?
JZ:More understand of the benefits of the AIRFRAME and the validation data that supports the functionality and reduction of ergonomic risk.
