STTR Phase II: Lower Extremity Exoskeleton Assist Device for Reducing the Risk of Back Injuries among Workers

STTR第二阶段：降低工人背部受伤风险的下肢外骨骼辅助装置

• 批准号: 0956801
• 负责人: Kurt Amundson
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: Ekso Bionics, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-02-01 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0956801&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; II; Lower; Extremity

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes will study the technology barriers associated with creating exoskeleton assist devices for workers in distribution centers and automobile assembly plants. By using these devices, workers can dramatically reduce the load in thevertebrae of the lower back when maneuvering parts and boxes. The assist device will take the majority of the load off of the user?s body. Such collaboration between humans and machines has the benefit of the intellectual advantage of humans coupled with the strength advantage of machines. The proposed project involves the University of California at Berkeley as research partner, General Motors Corporation, and the U.S. Postal Service. The end goal is a reduction in back injuries in the workplace which are considered by OSHA the nation?s number one workplace safety problem.The broader impacts of this research are reduced worker?s compensation insurance costs, reduced disability payments, increased worker productivity, and the ability for workers to keep working into their older years. Furthermore, these new devices will open an entirely new market which will serve an important role in establishing the United States as the number one player in the emerging field of bionics. Additionally, establishing this market for exoskeletons will enable the development of other exoskeleton markets which include military exoskeletons for carrying backpack and body armor loads, rescue worker exoskeletons, stair climbing exoskeletons for urban firefighters, and wild-land firefighter exoskeletons. The potential impacts to worker safety and American quality of life are large and diverse.

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第二阶段项目将研究为配送中心和汽车装配厂的工人制造外骨骼辅助装置的相关技术障碍。通过使用这些设备，工人在搬运零件和箱子时可以显着减轻下背部椎骨的负荷。辅助装置将减轻用户身体的大部分负荷。人与机器之间的这种协作具有人类的智力优势和机器的力量优势的优势。拟议的项目涉及作为研究合作伙伴的加州大学伯克利分校、通用汽车公司和美国邮政局。最终目标是减少工作场所的背部伤害，这被 OSHA 视为全国第一大工作场所安全问题。这项研究的更广泛影响是减少工人赔偿保险费用、减少伤残津贴、提高工人生产力以及工人继续工作到晚年的能力。此外，这些新设备将打开一个全新的市场，这将为美国成为新兴仿生学领域的头号玩家发挥重要作用。此外，建立这个外骨骼市场将促进其他外骨骼市场的发展，包括用于携带背包和防弹衣负载的军用外骨骼、救援人员外骨骼、城市消防员爬楼梯外骨骼和野外消防员外骨骼。对工人安全和美国人生活质量的潜在影响是巨大且多样的。