Ford Pilots a New Exoskeleton To Lessen Worker Fatigue (futurism.com)

Ford is partnering with California-based exoskeleton maker Ekso Bionics to trial a non-powered upper body exoskeletal tool called EksoVest in two of the carmaker's U.S. plants. The goal is to lessen the fatigue factory workers experience in Ford's car manufacturing plants. Futurism reports: Designed to fit workers from five feet to six feet four inches tall, the EksoVest adds some 3 to 6 kilograms (5 to 15 pounds) of adjustable lift assistance to each arm. This exoskeleton is also comfortable enough to wear while providing free arm movement thanks to its lightweight construction. "Collaboratively working with Ford enabled us to test and refine early prototypes of the EksoVest based on insights directly from their production line workers," Ekso Bionics co-founder and CTO Russ Angold said in a Ford press release. "The end result is a wearable tool that reduces the strain on a worker's body, reducing the likelihood of injury, and helping them feel better at the end of the day -- increasing both productivity and morale." The U.S. trial, made possible with the help of the United Automobile Workers, has already demonstrated the wonders that the exoskeleton can offer in reducing fatigue from high-frequency tasks. As such, Ford plans to expand their EksoVest pilot program to other regions, which include Europe and South America.

Comments

Sucks for us in the 1%

[blindseer]

Designed to fit workers from five feet to six feet four inches tall

As someone that is six feet five inches tall I'm not terribly surprised at this. About 99% of the populations is between five feet and six feet four inches tall. I've gotten used to things in the world not being designed for people as tall as I am, but it still sucks. You'd think that just one inch is not such a big deal but consider the height of a typical door. Most household doors are six feet eight inches before things like flooring and such are added, now add the thickness of the sole of a typical work boot, and headgear like a helmet, hearing protection, or just a baseball cap. Now someone that's just an inch taller than 99% of the population has to be very careful walking through doors or that little metal button on the top of a baseball cap gets slammed into their skull. Those door return mechanisms on many fire doors are another hazard to life and eyesight for the 1%.

Here's an interesting thing I found out, being short is considered a "disability" but being tall is not. A person under five feet tall (male or female*) is considered "disabled" under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, and as a "disabled person" they can demand "reasonable accommodations" for their height. There is no upper limit to height that I can see being considered automatically a disability, therefore businesses are not required to make any "reasonable accommodations". Is that "fair"? Life's not fair.

* If one is not either male or female then that's just weird, and not a disability under any law I could see.