Ottobock’s Paexo exoskeleton is entering series production on 1 October. By taking this step, the company is moving forward with the expansion of the new Ottobock Industrials business unit. The innovative solutions it provides are set to make jobs in industry, logistics and the trade sector more ergonomic. The goal is to provide relief for people who perform physically demanding tasks such as overhead work, thereby creating healthier working conditions. The Paexo – a passive exoskeleton that significantly reduces strain during work carried out overhead and above shoulder height – is the first product to be brought to series production.

“Our exoskeleton’s incredible potential was already evident during the development phase. Testing in a wide range of sectors also confirmed that the Paexo offered effective relief,” says Dr Sönke Rössing, Head of Ottobock Industrials. Results from around 75 tests, for example at aviation and automotive companies, in the food industry, at shipyards and building sites, were used during the development of this novel device. “The Paexo works according to biomechanical principles and is geared toward the movements people make in the workplace. Additional success factors include its low weight of less than two kilograms and the immediate relief that can be felt in the arm and shoulder muscles,” adds Rössing.

Since 2012, Ottobock has been researching technical solutions that help people protect their health over the long term in their everyday working routines. The increasing challenges facing industrial enterprises and the trade sector due to demographical developments are the reasons for these efforts. The rising life expectancy is leading to an aging workforce, and there is also a lack of skilled workers. This results in an increased need for new types of devices that make workplaces ergonomic.

“We are seeing the development of a new, rapidly growing market that has great potential for pioneering innovations,” says Dr Oliver Scheel, CEO of Ottobock. “Using exoskeletons in industrial settings will bring about permanent changes in many working environments. And Ottobock’s biomechanical expertise puts us at the forefront of this change.”