Lumbar spine injuries resulting from heavy or repetitive lifting remain a prevalent concern in workplaces. Back-support devices have been developed to mitigate these injuries by aiding workers during lifting tasks. However, existing devices often fall short in providing multidimensional force assistance for asymmetric lifting, an essential feature for practical workplace use. In addition, validation of device safety across the entire human spine has been lacking. This paper introduces the Bilateral Back Extensor Exosuit (BBEX), a robotic back-support device designed to address both functionality and safety concerns. The design of the BBEX draws inspiration from the anatomical characteristics of the human spine and back extensor muscles. Using a multi–degree-of-freedom architecture and serially connected linear actuators, the device’s components are strategically arranged to closely mimic the biomechanics of the human spine and back extensor muscles. To establish the efficacy and safety of the BBEX, a series of experiments with human participants was conducted. Eleven healthy male participants engaged in symmetric and asymmetric lifting tasks while wearing the BBEX. The results confirm the ability of the BBEX to provide effective multidimensional force assistance. Moreover, comprehensive safety validation was achieved through analyses of muscle fatigue in the upper and the lower erector spinae muscles, as well as mechanical loading on spinal joints during both lifting scenarios. By seamlessly integrating functionality inspired by human biomechanics with a focus on safety, this study offers a promising solution to address the persistent challenge of preventing lumbar spine injuries in demanding work environments.

中文翻译：

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双侧后伸外衣用于多维帮助和预防脊髓损伤


因重物或重复举重而导致的腰椎损伤仍然是工作场所普遍存在的问题。已经开发了背部支撑装置，通过在提升任务中帮助工人来减轻这些伤害。然而，现有设备往往无法为不对称提升提供多维力辅助，这是实际工作场所使用的基本功能。此外，一直缺乏对整个人体脊柱的设备安全性的验证。本文介绍了双侧后伸外衣 （BBEX），这是一种机器人背部支撑装置，旨在解决功能和安全问题。BBEX 的设计灵感来自人体脊柱和背部伸肌的解剖学特征。该设备使用多自由度架构和串联线性致动器，其组件经过战略性布置，以密切模拟人体脊柱和后伸肌的生物力学。为了确定 BBEX 的有效性和安全性，对人类参与者进行了一系列实验。11 名健康男性参与者在佩戴 BBEX 时从事对称和不对称举重任务。结果证实了 BBEX 提供有效多维力量援助的能力。此外，通过分析竖脊肌上部和下部的肌肉疲劳，以及两种举重情况下脊柱关节的机械负荷，实现了全面的安全性验证。通过将受人体生物力学启发的功能与对安全性的关注无缝集成，本研究提供了一种有前途的解决方案，以解决在苛刻的工作环境中预防腰椎损伤的持续挑战。