Robotic Vest Takes Burden off Demanding Jobs From: Medical Design Technology - 03/02/2015 Each year millions of people within the EU injure themselves in the course of their work due to picking up heavy loads or from one-sided movements – ending up with serious health issues. Together with the industry, Fraunhofer researchers on the CareJack project are developing a vest designed to take the burden off caregivers and others with physically demanding jobs. The energy required comes from the wearers themselves, through their movements. When a caregiver bends down to lift a patient up, the smart medical aid stores the kinetic energy and can release it again when required. Above all, the orthosis ensures that caregivers perform movements correctly. Lots of orthopedic problems are a result of improper movements: the classic example is lifting something heavy with a rounded back instead of squatting down to lift the object with a straight back. The smart vest features a myriad of sensors that continuously monitor the way the wearer is moving. A processor compares these data against the optimum movement pattern. As soon as it detects any irregularity, a warning lamp is activated. Not only that, but innovative synthetic actuators with adjustable rigidity help avoid incorrect movements and support correct ones. "The wearer can decide themselves what level of support they want," says Schmidt. Read the entire article at: http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2015/03/robotic-vest-takes-burden-demanding-jobs http://phys.org/news/2015-03-power-vest-restricting-freedom-movement.html Related: New assistive equipment to maximize human sensorimotor function http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-equipment-maximize-human-sensorimotor-function.html Prototype of Wearable Equipment Seeks to Support and Enhance Human Motion http://www.ptproductsonline.com/2015/02/prototype-wearable-equipment-seeks-support-enhance-human-motion/