The Effect of a Passive Shoulder Exoskeleton and Muscle Fatigue on Occupational Work Performance

Vrije Universiteit Brussel35 enrolled

Overview

In this investigation, participants perform simulated occupational work during which the task performance will be logged. This research investigates the effect of peripheral fatigue and a passive shoulder exoskeleton on the task performance.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Fatigue Muscle Strain Physical Stress

Interventions

Passive shoulder exoskeletonDEVICE

Participants complete overhead working task with support of exo

Fatigue protocolBEHAVIORAL

Participants complete a fatiguing protocol

No exoskeleton supportDEVICE

Exoskeleton is worn, but no support provided

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * healthy (based on ParQ questionnaire) * right handed Exclusion Criteria: * current musculoskeletal disorder * history of recurrent musculoskeletal discorder

Locations (1)

Lichamelijk Opvoeding en Kinesitherapie

Brussels, Belgium

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Work accuracy

The number of errors is tracked

Time frame: During 2 minutes overhead work

Work pace

Time to completion is tracked

Time frame: During 2 minutes overhead work

Secondary Outcomes

Surface electromyography

Cometa (Mini Wave) sensors with Ambu (BlueSensor) electrodes will be used to collect electromyographic data conform the SENIAM guidelines. The muscles that will be monitored are: deltoideus anterior, deltoideus medialis, deltoideus posterior, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, brachioradialis, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, trapezius descendens, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, flexor carpi radialis, serratus anterior on the right side of the body. The locations of the sensors will be prepared by shaving, abrasion with sandpaper and cleaning with alcohol. To allow relative expression of muscle activity, maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of each muscle that is being monitored will be collected. The average of the maximal activity out of the best two out of three contractions will serve as the MVC value. The outcomes will be the activities of the muscles (as a percentage of the MVC) monitored during the tests.

Time frame: During 2 minutes overhead work

Kinematic smoothness of movement

Inetrial Measurement Units will be used to track how smoothly the overhead work is completed. Smoothness is determined by the Spectral Arc method.

Time frame: During 2 minutes overhead work

Workload

NASA TLX questionnaire for workload

Time frame: After 2 minutes of overhead work

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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