Ergonomic Assessment of Work Activities for an Industrial-Oriented Wrist Exoskeleton

This chapter explores the ergonomic assessment of musculoskeletal risks associated with manual work activities in a horse saddle production plant. The study focuses on five strenuous tasks: seat preparation and assembly, cushion covering, cushion mounting, and sewing. By combining subjective assessments from workers using the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) and Visual Hand Pain Mapping (VHPM) with objective measurements from electromyography (EMG) sensors, the study evaluates the impact of these tasks on workers' health. The results reveal a discrepancy between perceived and measured fatigue, highlighting the importance of considering both physical and mental demands in ergonomic assessments. The study also identifies critical areas of discomfort in the hands and wrists, which are significant for the onset of musculoskeletal disorders. These findings are crucial for designing effective wrist exoskeletons that can assist workers in performing their tasks safely and comfortably. The chapter concludes by suggesting the adoption of new technological solutions, such as exoskeletons, to prevent or reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders, although the application of exoskeletons to tasks involving precise hand movements remains a challenging area.