Scientists from Yonsei University in the Republic of Korea have created a soft, wearable robot designed to help workers avoid job-related injuries while lifting, lowering and carrying objects

Unlike most wearable robots currently available, which are typically restricted to supporting a single degree of freedom — allowing movement in only one direction at a specific joint — the WeaRo wearable robot is designed to operate across multiple degrees of freedom. This capability enables the wearer to perform more complex and versatile movements.

During trials of the wearable, WeaRo, which weighs roughly 11.5 lbs, muscle activation levels of lumbar, bicep and tricep muscles were reduced by 18.2%, 29.1% and 27.0%, respectively — and without constraining the wearers' movements.

"The significance of this study lies in developing a comprehensive methodology that encompasses movement analysis, wearable robot design, and effectiveness validation to reduce work-related injuries," explained study author Dongjun Shin, Ph.D., of Yonsei University.

The findings are detailed in the article “A Soft Wearable Robot with an Adjustable Twisted String Actuator and a 2-Stage Transmission Mechanism for Manual Handling Tasks,” which appears in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems.