SBIR Phase II: Mechanized clothing to enhance productivity and low back health in the logistics industry

这个第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是加强对设计升降机辅助外衣(机械化服装)的科学和技术理解，这是一种可能通过减少送货司机的疲劳、背部受伤风险和背部疼痛来影响社会的辅助技术。对于雇主来说，外衣创造了减少员工流动率和医疗成本的可能性。作为第一款也是唯一一款面向送货员的升降机辅助外衣，拟议中的外衣具有潜在的商业影响。外衣是一个无处不在且不断增长的工作部门，几乎横跨所有商业市场。该项目可能会通过增加可用的劳动力和降低美国人的医疗保健成本来额外影响美国的经济竞争力。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目旨在解决与辅助技术相关的关键设计挑战，这些技术为交付驱动程序提供提升帮助。跨越这一技术障碍依赖于两个关键特征：(1)在携带物体时打开/关闭辅助装置的能力，以及(2)在驾驶时长时间舒适地坐着的能力。第二阶段项目的研究目标是：1)增加新的模式切换能力，2)整合一种独特的脱离辅助方法，最大限度地提高坐着时的舒适性，3)创造一种新型的腿套，在外衣不辅助的情况下最大限度地提高舒适性，以及4)进行实地研究，以验证外衣在真实条件下的性能。该项目将技术要求和用户故事与一系列快速设计迭代相结合。使用这种方法，将使用交付驱动程序设计、构建和测试多个原型，以评估真实世界的性能和用户接受度。该项目预计将产生一种商业上可行的外衣原型，满足送货司机的日常需求，并在真实世界的场景中提供其有效性的客观和主观证据。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase II project is to enhance the scientific and technological understanding of designing lift-assist exosuits (mechanized clothing), an assistive technology that has the potential to impact society by reducing the fatigue, back injury risk, and back pain of delivery drivers. For employers, the exosuit creates the potential for reduced employee turnover and medical costs. The proposed exosuit has potential commercial impact as the first and only lift-assist exosuit for delivery workers, a ubiquitous and growing job sector that cuts across nearly all commercial markets. This project could additionally impact the economic competitiveness of the United States by increasing the available workforce and reducing the cost of healthcare for Americans.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to address key design challenges associated with assistive technologies that provide lift-assistance for delivery drivers. Surmounting this technical hurdle relies on two key features: (1) the ability to turn assistance on/off when carrying an object, and (2) the ability to sit comfortably for long periods of time while driving. The research objectives of the Phase II project are to: 1) add a new mode-switching capability, 2) integrate a unique method of disengaging assistance that maximizes comfort during sitting, 3) create a novel leg sleeve to maximize comfort when the exosuit is not assisting, and 4) carry out a field study to validate exosuit performance in real-world conditions. This project will combine technical requirements and user stories with a series of rapid design iterations. Using this approach, multiple prototypes will be designed, built, and tested with delivery drivers to assess real-world performance and user acceptance. This project is projected to result in a commercially viable exosuit prototype that fits the daily needs of delivery drivers, as well as objective and subjective evidence of its efficacy in real-world scenarios.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.