Retail giant Lowe has joined hands with Virginia Tech to develop a lift-assist technology in the form of a futuristic exosuit. Intended to offer employees extra support while moving products around in the company’s 1,800 or so stores, the powerful yet lightweight contraption is currently being trialed at Lowe’s Christiansburg, VA outlet.
For the project, researchers from Lowe’s Innovation Labs came together with Alan Asbeck and his robotics team at Virginia Tech College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. The exosuit, according to the scientists, will not only help reduce fatigue retail employees often experience, but also enhance efficiency in the workplace. Speaking about the technology, Asbeck said:
Over the past couple of years, human assistive devices have become an area of interest. 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.
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Zdroj: Lowe Employees Will Soon Sport Exosuits Designed To Offer Support