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Video | Hilti launches construction exoskeleton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhGnnM0RP_c
Hilti has teamed up with German prosthetics firm Ottobock SE to develop new exoskeleton systems for the construction industry.
Hilti will launch the first joint product, the EXO-O1, in autumn 2020. The exoskeleton is already being used by Skanska in Sweden.
The passive exoskeleton, which does not require an energy supply, transfers the weight of the arms to the hips via the forearm supports using mechanical cables. Independent studies and Ottobock research claim that the device can reduce peak load on the muscles and shoulders by up to 47%.
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Hilti said it expected the device to be
particularly useful when it comes to work performed above shoulder level, and overhead
work, reducing fatigue and increasing productivity.
Over the longer term, the exoskeleton should help reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the shoulder area, which Hilti said were among the most common causes of worker disability in the construction industry.
Johannes Wilfried Huber, head of Hilti’s diamond
systems business unit said: “Exoskeletons are an important trend having great relevance
for us. They provide relief for physically demanding tasks, such as those
performed on construction sites every day. In Ottobock we have the ideal
partner to combine our user protection and ergonomics knowledge with 100 years
of biomechanical expertise. Our technology partnership will serve as the basis
for the development of additional innovative and customer-oriented systems.”
Dr. Sönke Rössing, head of Ottobock Industrial
added: “We are delighted to be opening up a new area of application together
with Hilti. We are building on our experience gained from more than 500
successful exoskeleton projects, including in the automotive industry and various
trades. There is a great deal of potential for solutions that reduce the
physical strain on workers in the construction industry. We want to jointly
expand this pillar in the coming years.”
The November/December 2025 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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