A prototype lightweight exosuit reduces worker fatigue and increases worker capabilities for Lowe's employees whose tasks involve a lot of walking and lifting. The hardware chain is testing the prototype at the store in Christiansburg, Va. The conception, design and prototyping of the suit paired Lowe’s Innovation Labs with faculty and students at Virginia Tech.

“Over the past couple of years, human assistive devices have become an area of interest,” said Alan Asbeck, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “Our technology is different in that it includes soft and flexible elements, and our approach is unique in that we are putting our prototypes in a real-world environment for an extended period of time.”

The project goal is to reduce fatigue for Lowe’s store employees, who typically kneel, stretch and lift heavy loads onto shelves or take them down. The prototype suit is made of soft material with carbon fiber legs. As the wearer bends down, the carbon fiber stores energy, which then can be released when the wearer needs it.

Lowe’s is testing four suits for several months. Asbeck’s team is working closely with Lowe’s and the employee testers to assess how well the suit fulfills the design goals. Employee feedback and input is a critical piece of the project.

“Lowe’s is committed to exploring opportunities that improve the workplace experience,” said Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs.

For Asbeck’s team, which includes both graduate and undergraduate students, working on the project affords the kind of real-world experience that engineers do not necessarily acquire during product design. The design can be tweaked and improved based on wearer feedback. Lessons learned on this project will continue to inform Asbeck’s research on assistive robotics.

Another project benefit is the collaboration between a commercial enterprise and the university. Lowe’s will consider scaling up the program based on the outcome of the exosuit experiment.