On the 22nd, Guro District in Seoul announced that it will support the use of "wearable robots" to prevent environmental workers from developing musculoskeletal disorders and to enhance work efficiency.
Guro District has many narrow alleys and stairs, which puts a strain on environmental workers when they have to carry heavy garbage bags. Recently, they have been unable to board the rear footboards of cleaning vehicles, leading to a significant increase in walking.
Wearable robots have been introduced to reduce the physical burden on environmental workers conducting cleaning operations in densely populated dwellings. Some environmental workers have been using them in a pilot operation since this month.
The robot introduced by Guro District, when worn like a brace, reduces the amount of force the worker has to exert. It analyzes the wearer's gait in real-time to alleviate the burden on the knees and lower body.
According to the manufacturer, wearing a wearable robot while carrying a backpack weighing about 20 kg helps reduce the actual load by approximately 12 kg when walking on flat ground. The weight of the wearable robot itself is 1.6 kg.
Guro District plans to monitor the comfort, safety, and fatigue levels of environmental workers who are pilot-testing the wearable robots. Based on the results, they will expand distribution to all environmental workers.
Jang In-hong, the head of Guro District Office, noted that "the introduction of wearable robots will be a great help in protecting the health of environmental workers and preventing accidents."