🤔 Could an exoskeleton reduce back strain but inadvertently increase the risk of falling?

It's a reasonable concern that's been raised occasionally in the occupational #exoskeleton field.

📊 New research from Virginia Tech tested whether wearing a BackX back-support exoskeleton or HeroWear Apex back-support exosuit affected fall rates following trips and slips, as compared to not wearing an exo at all. They found:

✅ No significant difference in fall rates following trips

✅ No significant difference in fall rates following slips

💡 This study adds to a growing body of converging evidence suggesting that many of the hypothesized secondary risks of occupational exos have turned out to be negligible or nonexistent, at least for modern devices commonly used in the workplace.

Encouraging evidence that reinforces an important distinction: hypothetical concerns aren't necessarily real-world risks.

#safetytech #ergonomics

https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/items/d00dc7ee-cdc2-466a-a8c2-c43851430d5b