Abstract
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) is a common occupational injury. Among the occupational injuries of agricultural workers, 93% are related to WMSD, with the shoulder being the second most affected area. This paper presents a passive upper-limb exoskeleton (PULE) with a gas spring and four-bar mechanism developed to aid the daily activities associated with orchard farming. The PULE is used to assist the arm-lifting process, reducing the physical exertion of farmers and the risk of developing WMSD. Electromyography (EMG) measurements of 26 participants were obtained to evaluate the difference in physical exertion with and without the PULE. Two arm activities: fruit thinning, with the arms raised and maintained at 100°, and pesticide spraying, with the hands swinging from 0° to 100° and back, were simulated. Using the PULE decreased muscle tension of the anterior deltoid (AD) by 17.64–19.86%. The PULE also decreased the AD activity by 37.67–39.57% during the actual orchard farming operations. The Qualisys motion capture system indicated that the difference in the lifting angle of the upper limb with and without the PULE was less than 1° and not significant (α > 0.05). Thus, the PULE did not affect the flexibility of the wearer in orchard farming activities.
Highlights
In 2015, the average age of individuals engaged in agricultural tasks in the Republic of China (ROC) was 57.1 yr. [1], which indicated that the ROC was suffering from an aging agrarian population
The design of the experiment is divided into two parts: First, a simulation of the fruit thinning and pesticide spraying activities is conducted in the laboratory; after verifying that the passive upper-limb exoskeleton (PULE) can safely and effectively reduce muscle tension in arm-lifting activities, the PULE is worn to perform the actual operation of pesticide spraying on a pomelo tree and fruit thinning of a jujube tree
The PULE, developed for orchard farming applications, is composed of a wearable supporting-mechanism suit, which can be fixed to the body through the fixation belt, and a passive power driving device that provides auxiliary force to the arm during the lifting activity of the upper limb
Summary
In 2015, the average age of individuals engaged in agricultural tasks in the Republic of China (ROC) was 57.1 yr. [1], which indicated that the ROC was suffering from an aging agrarian population. In 2015, the average age of individuals engaged in agricultural tasks in the Republic of China (ROC) was 57.1 yr. The Council of Agriculture of the ROC has vigorously encouraged young people to engage in agricultural tasks, owing to which, the average age of the agricultural technology group in Kaohsiung has decreased to. Orchard farming-related tasks, such as fruit thinning and pesticide spraying, require considerable muscle movement. During these arm-lifting movements, orchard farmers must repetitively lift their arms, leading to considerable physical exertion. Such repetitive motions of lifting the upper limbs generate significant body fatigue and reduce efficiency, especially in the case of elderly orchard farmers
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