Computing in Civil Engineering 2017 358

Application of Assistive Wearable Robotics to Alleviate Construction Workforce

Shortage: Challenges and Opportunities
Chao Wang1; Laura Ikuma2; Jan Hondzinski3; and Marcio de Queiroz4
1
Assistant Professor, Bert S. Turner Dept. of Construction Management, Louisiana
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State Univ., 242 Old Forestry Bldg, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. E-mail:
chaowang@lsu.edu
2
Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana
State Univ., 3272Q Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. E-mail:
likuma@lsu.edu
3
Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State Univ., 131 Huey P.
Long Field House, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. E-mail: jhondz1@lsu.edu
4
Professor, Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State Univ.,
3272E Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. E-mail: mdeque1@lsu.edu

Abstract
For years, numerous studies have been done to apply advanced technologies to avoid
workers from injuries. Recently with the development of robotics and automation
technologies, the application of assistive wearable robotics has got more attention
from construction industry after its successful applications in medical and military
fields. However, there is little information about exoskeleton’s application in
construction area since the technology is not fully adopted by construction industry
yet. Thus, the objective of this paper is to review the state-of-art of exoskeleton and
its applications in different fields, illustrate how exoskeleton can benefit construction
workers, and discuss the challenges and opportunities.

INTRODUCTION
Economy has grown up steadily in recent years, and infrastructure development has
been booming following the growth of economy. According to the latest U.S. jobs
report, the number of construction jobs are now at their highest level since the last
financial crisis in 2008. In some states of the country construction is booming too
much for the employers to find enough skilled workers to fill new openings. Take
State of Louisiana for an example, Louisiana led all U.S. states in the value of
industrial construction projects during 2013 and was ranked second overall for all
commercial construction, according to (Fuller 2014). Research (Fuller 2014) states
that 86,300 more skilled craft workers are in need to construct the $80 billion worth
of new plants and plant expansions already announced in Louisiana. Approximately
35,000 of these workers are needed by 2016; an additional 51,300 are needed to
replace industrial construction workers expected to leave the industry through 2016.
The professions most in demand include electricians, welders, pipefitters, millwrights
and carpenters. Process technology technicians, project managers and project
estimators also are in great demand. Therefore, the first challenge the boom is likely

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to create will be a serious shortage of skilled construction workers across a range of

occupations.
Workforce shortage has been considered as a rising factor that causes project delay
and cost overruns by many U.S. companies. The shortage mainly results from two
aspects, lack of young workers and trend of aging workforce. As reported in the
Bureau Labor Statistics on Occupational Outlook, the construction industry will need
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about 1.7 million workers by the year 2020, and a predicted deterioration in
workforce shortage from ages 16 to 24 is expected to drop from 13.6 percent in 2010
to 11.2 percent by the year 2020. This decrease will demand construction companies
to compete for a smaller labor pool of younger workers. On the other hand, according
to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 Current Population Survey, roughly 40 percent of
the construction workforce is 45 years of age or older. That means there are 3.7
million construction workers who will be approaching retirement within the next 10
years. Besides, the age of retirement among construction workers is heavily affected
by collective agreements in which workers are allowed to retire at an earlier age than
the official retirement age. Thus, keeping people at work during periods of illness or
injury can help minimize the chance of older employee’s retiring into a disability
status. Maintaining a work schedule and being active can also help with the
rehabilitation of illness. Employee absence and disability are significant cost drivers
for most employers. One of the best strategies for controlling costs is an effective
return-to-work (RTW) process. RTW can greatly reduce workers’ compensation costs
(medical, indemnity, and legal costs), which can significantly impact the employers’
bottom line.
For years, numerous studies have been done to apply advanced technologies to avoid
workers from injuries. Recently with the development of robotics and automation
technologies, the application of assistive wearable robotics has got more attention
from construction industry after its successful applications in medical and military
fields. Assistive wearable robotics, also known as exoskeleton, is a robotic device
that attaches to human body for the purpose of delivering mechanical power to
augment or replace user strength, endurance, and/or mobility. If successful,
exoskeletons can potentially help construction workers on reducing fatigue,
improving productivity, and eventually saving project costs. However, there is little
information about exoskeleton and its application especially in construction area
since the technology is not fully adopted by construction industry yet. Thus, the
objective of this paper is to review the state-of-art of exoskeleton and its applications
in different fields, illustrate how exoskeleton can benefit construction workers, and
discuss the challenges and opportunities.

A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW OF EXOSKELETON

One category of exoskeletons assists upper-limb movements such as reaching,

grasping, or lifting. Another category assists lower-limb functions such as sitting
down, standing up, walking, balancing, and squatting. A single device that combines
these two categories is called a full-body exoskeleton. Exoskeletons can be active

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(powered) or passive systems. Active exoskeletons have actuators and a power source
while passive devices rely solely on springs and dampers.
Exoskeletons can also be classified based on their intended use (Young & Ferris, in
press). Human performance augmentation (HPA) exoskeletons are used to increase
the physical capabilities of able-bodied individuals. These systems can be used for
lifting heavy objects, carrying heavy loads over large distances, or working with
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heavy tools. Typical settings for such devices are construction sites, industrial plants,
warehouses, parcel/baggage handling, or healthcare facilities. The second class
includes assistive devices for individuals with neurological or muscular disorders that
cause difficulty walking or making arm movements. The third class is therapeutic
exoskeletons for rehabilitation. These devices are used to train a user’s muscles or
nervous system during therapeutic exercises so they overcome some or all limitations
of a disability.
This study is devoted to HPA exoskeletons, the discussion that follows focuses
primarily on this class of exoskeletons. It should be noted that assessing the state-of-
the-art of exoskeletons is not any easy task due to the rapidly evolving nature of the
field (Young & Ferris, in press), where new devices are publicly announced quite
frequently. Also, given that the field is at a stage of development where competition
among organizations and financial stakes are very high, developers are protective of
their intellectual property and few peer-reviewed publications are available (Young &
Ferris, in press).
In the U.S., the Department of Defense (DoD) has played a key role in the research
and development of HPA exoskeletons. In 2000, the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) funded the Exoskeletons for Human Performance
Augmentation program that focused on increasing the capabilities of ground soldiers
(Garcia, Sater, & Main, 2002). In 2011, DARPA introduced the Web Warrior
program, seeking to “develop the technologies required to prevent and reduce
musculoskeletal injuries caused by dynamic events typically found in the warfighter’s
environment” (Orlowski, n.d.). In 2014, the U.S. Special Operations Command
launched the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) program (Lamothe, 2014)
with the purpose of making an exoskeleton suit that incorporates body armor, power,
soldier monitoring, and weaponry (Young & Ferris, in press).
The main global markets for exoskeletons are military, medical, and
industrial/commercial (Gibney & Ferris, 2015). The top contenders that have either
entered the U.S. market or are anticipated to enter by 2019 are the following. For
medical applications: ReWalk (U.S.), Ekso Bionics, (U.S.), Myomo (U.S.), Parker
(U.S.), REX Bionics (NZ), Cyberdyne (Japan), Hocoma Lokomat (Switzerland), and
B-Temia (Canada). For industrial/commercial applications: Strong Arm (U.S.),
Lockheed Martin (U.S.), Ekso Bionics (U.S.), Equipois (U.S.), Boston Dynamics
(U.S.), BAE (U.S.), B-Temia (Canada), and Panasonic (Japan). For military
applications: Harvard Wyss (U.S.), Ekso Bionics (U.S.), Otherlab (U.S.), Boston
Dynamics (U.S.), BAE (U.S.), Lockheed Martin (U.S.), B-Temia (Canada), and
Mawashi (Canada).

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Sev
veral universsities througghout the wo orld are currrently develooping exoskkeleton-type
systems, rangin ng from fulll-body devicces to ankle--foot exoskeeletons: MIT T, Carnegie
Meellon, UC Beerkeley, Van nderbilt Univ
versity, Nortth Carolina S
State Univerrsity, Tokyo
University (Jap pan), Kanagaawa Institutee of Technoology (Japann), Universityy of Twente
(Neetherlands), and a conso ortium of fiive Europeaan institutionns (Istituto Italiano di
Teccnologia, Éccole Polytech hnique Fédérrale de Laussanne, Univeersità di Pisaa, Karlsruhe
Insttitute of Tecchnology, an
nd Universitté Catholiqu e de Louvaiin). These devices span
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the whole specctrum of ap pplications (mmilitary, meedical, and industrial/coommercial),

and
d, in certain cases, are developed in partnershiip with com mpanies (e.g.., Indego,
created at Vand derbilt and commercializzed by Parkeer).
Diffferent verssions of exoskeletons designed to
enhhance mobility have been b around for overr a
cenntury. In 1890 Russiaan born, Nicholas N Yaagn,
obttained a paatent for a passive exoskeleton
e to
enhhance lower limb moveement throug gh bow-strinngs
attaached to the lower lim mbs (Figure 1). Althouugh
actiive exoskeletons emerg ged prior to o 1934 (Coobb
19334), powered locomotio on exoskelettons with looad
carrrying capaacities (Zaroodny 196 63) and lim mb
streength enhanccements (Miizen 1969) appeared
a in the
19660s (see Dollar and Herrr 2008 for deetailed review w).
Desspite decadees of researrch and dev velopment, the
pottential appliccation for mobility
m is in its infancy yet
incrreasing rapiidly with no ovel technollogies as thoose
men ntioned prev viously begiinning to flo ood the markket.
Succh growth does
d not com
me without growing
g paiins. Figuree 1. Yagn’s patented
Witth recent im mprovementss in battery y life, size aand passivve exoskeletonn
weiight reductiions, thus portability, the potenttial (Adappted from Yaggn 1890)
bennefits of thee exoskeleto ons are bein ng realized by
sev
veral populattions, leavin ng developerrs and reseaarchers respoonsible for ddetermining
apppropriate hellpful and co ost effectivee applicationns, while siimultaneouslly ensuring
safe
fety of its users. As of to oday, there are
a no establlished standdards for evaaluating and
quaantifying thee performancce of HPA exoskeletons
e s, thus uncerrtainties andd limitations
iden ntified with system usee potentially y slow the uultimate grow wth of the ttechnology.
NIO OSH, NIST,, NSF, NIH,, and DoD are a currentlyy collaboratiing to definee standards,
testt methods, and
a applicab ble policies and proceduures. Governnment and iindustry are
parrtnering withh academia anda medical institutions to bridge thhe gap in prroviding the
pollicies that wiill allow for the sale and implementaation of exosskeletons.

AP
PPLICATIO
ONS OF EX
XOSKELET
TONS IN CO
ONSTRUCT
TION

Whhen improvin ng the safety and ergon nomics of a work envirronment, elim minating or
min onomic hazaard through engineering controls is usually the
nimizing thee safety/ergo
most effective option, tho ough in construction tthis is oftenn difficult tto achieve.
Connstruction ennvironmentss are highly variable, annd in many cases the riisk factor is
the constructionn material (e.g., heavy concrete bloocks or walll panels). In addition to

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classifying interventions as engineering, administrative, or personal protection,

Weinstein and colleagues (2007) propose considering ergonomic interventions in
terms of time span (short- to long-term) and ease of implementation (simple to
complex). Financial concerns, including initial costs and productivity changes are key
to industry adoption, as past research has shown this to be a bigger incentive for
implementation over reduced health risks (Albers, Estill, & MacDonald, 2005; Entzel,
Albers, & Welch, 2007; Kramer et al., 2010). Therefore, successful interventions
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developed for MMH must meet cost and time requirements in addition to reducing
work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) risk.
While modern research and development of exoskeletons mainly focuses on military
and rehabilitation environments, the exoskeletons have potential for development as a
work aid that enhances the construction workers’ capacity. It was reported that the
fastest growing field of exoskeleton research is wearable robotics designed to be used
in an industrial setting (Marinov, 2016). Exoskeleton for work and industry can be
expected to be applied at warehouse, factories, dry-docks and construction sites.
Three main benefits can be brought by exoskeletons are: 1) reducing in work related
injuries, cutting cost in medical fees, sick leave and lawsuits; 2) lowering worker
fatigue, increasing worker alertness, productivity and work quality; 3) keeping quality
and skilled personnel past their physical prime in the work force longer. Somers
(2015) designed a working and visual prototype of a non-powered body exoskeleton
to assist construction workers who involve repetitive work, but the study hasn’t yet
conducted any experiment to test the performance of designed prototype.
Looze, et al. (2016) reviewed 26 different industrial exoskeletons on the aimed type
of industrial applications and types of exoskeleton. Among the discussed 26
exoskeletons, only two targeted for lower body assistance, and none of them were
tested upon any construction activities. On the aspect of commercial available devices,
Lockheed Martin (U.S.) and Ekso Bionics (U.S.) just started their adventure of
applying exoskeletons in construction industry, but mainly aid works on holding
heavy power tools. Existing exoskeleton products and research projects currently
developed to be used in workplace can be classified into the following 6 categories
(Marinov, 2016): 1) Tool holding exoskeleton is usually passive, consists of a spring-
loaded arm to support heavy tools, and the support arm is connected to a lower body
exoskeleton and a counterweight so the weight of the tool can be directly transmitted
into the ground. Examples of tool holding exoskeletons include Ekso Works by Ekso
Bionics, Fortis by Lockheed Martin, Unknown Prototype by Falltech, Rabo-Mate by
EU, and O-ArmX by BAE Systems; 2) Chairless chairs is lightweight, worn on top of
work pants, can decrease fatigue while crouching or standing. Examples of chairless
chair are Noonee Chairless Chair Wearable Ergonomic Device, Body Weight Assist
Device by Honda, and Archelis by Wearable Chair; 3) Back support can maintain the
correct posture of the back while bending down to perform a lift and reduce the load
on the back muscles or the spine. Examples of back support devices include V-22
Ergoskeleton by StrongArm Technologies, Laevo by Laevo, MAX by SuitX
(formally US Bionics), Hip Auxiliary Muscle Suit by Innophys, Hal for Labor
Support Lumber by CYBERDYNE, and AWN-03 by Panasonic by ActiveLink; 4)
Powered gloves can help workers with a weak grasp gain a stronger hold on tools.

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Examples of powered gloves are SEM Glove by Bioservo Technologies and

Pneumatic Power Assist Glove by Daiya Industries; 5) Full body powered suits are
usually large, and examples of this category include Dual-Arm Power Amplification
Robot, MS-2 by Panasonic – ActiveLink, Prototype Shipyard Exoskeleton by
Daewoo S&M Engineering, Body Extender by PERCRO Lab, HULC by Lockheed
Martin and Ekso Bionics, and XOS 2 by Sarcos / Raytheon; 6)
Additional/Supernumerary robotics consists of two or more additional powered arms
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controlled by the wearer, and can provide a second pair of hands. Examples of these
devices include Supernumerary Robotics Limbs (SRL) by MIT, d’Arbeloff
Laboratory.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

It is important to determine whether an exoskeleton can decrease physical demands in

the workplace and whether the technology has potential to reduce WMSDs and
potential worker disability. If reductions in physical demands are not clear and
significant, then the exoskeletons may require re-engineering. In the future study we
also want to ensure that the physical demand reductions are associated with proper
movement/form to ensure workers do not encounter secondary problems associated
with exoskeleton use. Again, if secondary problems are encountered, the
exoskeletons would require re-engineering; however, if reductions in physical
demands in either non-fatigued or fatigued states accompany proper movement
techniques, the potential to reduce WMSDs is likely and future studies would be
designed to assess the ideal use of exoskeletons in the workplace.
Limitations, including major contraindications associated with exoskeleton use, can
prevent the wide application of exoskeletons. Safety associated with exoskeleton use
and overuse, acceptability and usability linked to comfort, presence of a natural user-
device interaction, adaptation to different environments, and degree of efficient and
economical power sources will influence the advancement of HPA exoskeleton
technology and its use (Mohammed et al 2012). Success of exoskeleton technology
also encompasses assurance of effective speed and range while maintaining the
ability to perform desired movements (Borisoff et al 2013). Cost of many
exoskeletons exceed that of a new vehicle; however, the cost-benefit ratio over the
long term may exceed the initial price tag.
FDA approval will also strongly influence sales and advancement exoskeleton use.
Commercialization of exoskeletons in the U.S. is highly dependent on the approval
from different regulatory bodies (FDA for medical applications, and NIOSH for
industrial/commercial applications). A few companies have recently received FDA
approval for personal and/or clinical use of exoskeletons (ReWalk exoskeleton in
2014 and Ekso Bionics’ Ekso GT and Parker’s Indego in 2016), while others are
currently undergoing review (B-Temia). Companies are also seeking insurance policy
and coverage from healthcare insurers and agencies.
There are many technical hurdles that need to be overcome before one can reach the
holy grail of exoskeleton technology − a system that is light, highly mobile, powerful,
and multi-purpose − as portrayed in popular culture. Specifically, weight, actuation,

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power density, and control (Young & Ferris, 2015) are the main barriers from a
technological point of view. In the immediate future, research efforts should be
devoted to HPA use in niche areas that are limited in task scope, duration, and
environment. Indeed, it is expected that HPA exoskeletons will likely emerge first for
tasks such as heavy lifting and manual labor in construction, warehouse, or other
highly-constrained environments (Gibney & Ferris, 2015; Young & Ferris, 2015).
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CONCLUSIONS

Although the number of craft workers who got certified from the state’s community
and technical colleges has doubled in the past two years, the demand of skilled
workers is still hard to be satisfied. Therefore, keeping current skilled workers
healthy and away from injuries will be critically essential to the national economic
development. This paper reviews the applications of the assistive wearable robotics in
different industries, and discusses the challenges and opportunities we are facing to
feasibly adopt this technology into real construction projects.

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Entzel, P., Albers, J., & Welch, L. S. (2007). Best practices for preventing
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Lamothe, D. (2014). New competition launched in development of U.S. military's

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