New research from Texas A&M University indicates that wearing a passive lower-back exoskeleton may help construction workers reduce physical fatigue, which in turn improves their ability to identify hazards on job sites. The study, published in ASCE Open: Multidisciplinary Journal of Civil Engineering, suggests a direct connection between reduced physical strain and enhanced safety-related cognitive performance.
In a field study involving 16 construction workers, researchers observed that participants using the exoskeleton experienced 37% less fatigue compared to when they did not use the device. Additionally, the workers improved their hazard recognition performance by 29%. The findings indicate that workers who experienced smaller increases in fatigue tended to show greater improvements in identifying potential dangers.
Prosper Gbiengu, a graduate research assistant and doctoral student in the Department of Construction Science and lead author of the study, noted that construction safety involves both physical and mental factors. “Construction safety involves both your body and your mind,” Gbiengu said. “If you reduce fatigue, that helps keep the worker more attentive, and you’re able to identify more hazards.”
The study utilized a prototype passive lower-back exoskeleton designed to reduce effort during physically demanding tasks. Chukwuma Nnaji, an associate professor in the Department of Construction Science, explained that while exoskeletons are more common in structured environments like automobile manufacturing and logistics, they remain relatively uncommon in construction. He noted that construction work is more dynamic, with workers frequently moving between different subtasks.
To test the technology under realistic conditions, workers completed three-hour sessions performing their normal duties both with and without the exoskeleton. Researchers measured fatigue levels and assessed hazard recognition by showing workers images of construction hazards before and after each session.
