Smart exoskeletons ensure workplace safety

German Bionic design provides wearable tools, ergonomic data insights

According to the World Health Organization, musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs) affect around 1.71-billion people globally and are the leading contributor to disability worldwide, with low back pain being the single biggest cause. Repeated heavy lifting is an activity that places considerable strain on the musculoskeletal system, which can lead to the development of MSDs.

Enter German Bionic, Europe’s first manufacturer to develop smart exoskeletons that provide wearable tools and ergonomic data insights for workplace safety.

For this article, EP&T interviews Armin Schmidt, CEO and founder of German Bionic, a serial entrepreneur in the field of cloud-based products and services. As co-founder and CEO, Schmidt oversees the development of the firm’s smart ‘power suits’ that provide mechanical support for lifting and carrying, and use a smart assistance system to alert users, for example, of instances of incorrect lifting or when they should take a break.

Q. How does German Bionic’s approach differ from other exoskeleton technologies?

Our approach combines active, AI-powered assistance with full connectivity to support lifting movements and walking. Unlike passive exoskeleton systems where the energy first needs to be provided by the users and stored in order to be ready to be released when needed, our active system gives the wearer extra energy by using the power of batteries and robotics motors to amplify the wearer’s own movements. Data collected by the various integrated sensors allows data-driven insights to be continuously gained and used to keep improving and individualizing the user experience while also providing the foundation for AI-based learning.

Q. How do the smart power suits create safer environments?

The latest generation of exoskeletons – which includes the Apogee for deployment in logistics, construction, manufacturing and other industrial environments, and the Apogee+ designed specifically for use by caregivers – provides users with 66lbs (30 kg) of assistance per lifting movement as well as active walking support. Over the course of a day, it is not unusual for our exoskeletons to have taken several tons of weight off the backs of those working in physically demanding jobs. Incidentally, the figures on the amount of compensated weight and other figures are reported to the user on the screen at the end of each shift, meaning users always remain aware of just how much assistance they are receiving.

Q. What are the key features that make them ‘smart’?

At the heart of our innovations is the groundbreaking cloud-based German Bionic IO platform. The system collects data from our exoskeletons in real time, then intelligently analyzes it, applying machine learning and AI to continuously learn and enhance safety effectiveness with the wearer’s every movement. It enables risks and trends to be identified in real time and also facilitates the pinpointing of process optimizations custom to the working environment, just to name two examples. With the integrated Smart Safety Companion early warning system for ergonomics – which alerts, for example, of instances of poor posture, incorrect lifting and excessive strain – the platform provides comprehensive monitoring and repor ting functions, as well as individualized recommendations for action based on real, relevant data. Our smart system therefore not only makes occupational health and safety measurable, it also makes it visible.

Q. How do you strike a balance between technology assistance and user’s natural movements?

The person wearing our exoskeleton is always in charge, and our technology is designed to merely amplify their natural mo vements. What sets our tech apart is the advanced, fully-connected system that enables it to learn and adapt to the specific movements of each individual user. This level of personalization is unique to our technology. By continuously gathering and analyzing data, our AI-driven system optimizes the exoskeleton’s performance to align seamlessly with the user’s natural biomechanics. This personalized approach not only enhances user comfort and easy adoption, but also maximizes productivity and safety.

Q. How do the wearable exoskeletons blend comfort and functionality?

Comfort is absolutely crucial for ensuring maximum user take-up of wearable devices. This year’s introduction of our Apogee and Apogee+ models represents the release of our sixth exosuit generation. With each iteration, the user experience has been significantly enhanced. Besides the obvious improvements to the physical design – with lower weight, slimmer form, a new vest and fasteners as well as an ingenious floating back connector, many things that have a big impact on blending comfort and functionality are found in the software and control system and therefore not apparent at first glance. Thanks to being fully connected, we have access to data from hundreds of thousands of hours during which our exoskeletons have been in operation in real work environments. This mass of data matched with AI provides the foundation for continuous improvements and also enables the devices to actually adapt to the individual user.

Q. What steps were taken to ensure industry adoption for this know-how?

While exoskeletons in industrial settings may have been a relatively rare sight just a few years ago, today the word is out. Contributing to this has been the speed at which the products have developed, the level of market education, and, of course, a more competitive price point. German Bionic has been instrumental in every step of this development. Since its origins in a research project more than a decade ago and its establishment as a company in 2017, we have seen the interest in and awareness for the German Bionic solutions increase massively across a diverse range of sectors. In fact, it is also one of the reasons why we recently introduced a model dedicated to the needs of caregivers, the Apogee+. While there still might be a need for more education in certain areas, developments like labor shortages and demog raphic shifts are also increasingly elevating demand for our exoskeletons.

Q. Can these products be customized to adapt to specific job function?

Yes, that’s a crucial question and one that we attach tremendous importance to. Besides having different leg and chest pieces in sizes ranging from S-XXL, the German Bionic exoskeletons have one special advantage over other types: As mentioned earlier, our power suits are smart and fully connected. This supports flexibility on several levels. First, it means the device knows who is wearing it and how the individual person lifts – along with his or her general preferences and setting. Second, the data collected by the sensors in our Apogee and Apogee+ exosuits is analyzed in real time by the cloudbased platform and can recognize the types of tasks being conducted. And thirdly, the data-based insights gained from new tasks and activities can be exploited to develop new functionalities that can then even be uploaded to the devices OTA.

Q. How do you address data security and privacy concerns?

Europe has some of the most stringent regulations in this regard with the adoption of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in 2016 . Our devices are fully GDPR compliant by design. The data collected by the device is not attributable to an individual person, therefore no data security or privacy issues exist.

https://germanbionic.com/en