Forestry Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Exoskeletons

Abstract

This study examined forestry professionals’ awareness and acceptance of exoskeletons and identify potential tasks that would benefit most from the exoskeleton implementation. An online survey was distributed to forestry professionals to evaluate musculoskeletal pain, awareness and acceptance of exoskeletons, important factors for exoskeleton adoption, and tasks that can benefit most from exoskeleton use. Twenty-two forestry professionals responded. The results showed that low back and shoulder pain were most prevalent, indicating that back- and shouldersupport exoskeletons may be good candidates for timber felling. Moreover, the study found forestry professionals' considerable interest and acceptance levels on exoskeletons. This study also identified several important factors of exoskeleton adoption including weight, comfort, simplicity/portability, practicality, and easy maintenance. Lastly, the results demonstrated that timber felling, cutting/sawing, and mechanic work may benefit most from the exoskeleton use. These findings provide important insights for future studies evaluating feasibility and effectiveness of exoskeletons in the forest industry.