IFOY Audit
Finalists undergo the three-stage IFOY Audit as part of the IFOY Audit, which takes place during the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS. This consists of the scientific IFOY Innovation Check, the IFOY Test and the jury test.
SoftExo Lift
HUNIC GmbH
The passive exoskeleton SoftExo is an extremely lightweight but still effective body-worn lifting and carrying aid, developed for logistics and industry.
Skilled personnel are supported with up to 21% when lifting and carrying loads, the body is relieved by up to 50% and the ergonomic posture is positively influenced.
Product name and company
SoftExo Lift – HUNIC GmbH
Description
Despite ongoing automation, manual handling of loads will still be necessary in many areas in the future. This applies to logistics in industrial companies, assembly work, construction, agriculture and the healthcare sector. In this context, high and prolonged loads, such as those caused by repeated heavy lifting, pose a health risk to employees, which in the worst case can lead to an inability to work. According to the German Trade Association (Berufsgenossenschaft Handel- und Warenwirtschaft), every tenth day of incapacity to work in Germany is due to back pain.
This is precisely where the assistance system from HUNIC can provide preventive relief. It provides more safety at work and thus supports the company’s health management in the long term. The passive exoskeleton uses a spring principle to support the leg and back muscles when lifting loads and sensitizes the user to ergonomic movement. Thanks to the versatile adjustment options, the system can be worn by people from 50 kg body weight up to 140 kg, regardless of gender. In addition, all modules can be easily replaced and cleaned in the washing machine. The interchangeability also means that when modules wear out, they can be easily replaced, thereby protecting the environment.
By optimizing the working posture, the forces acting on the back are reduced by up to 50% while being evenly distributed. In this way, the SoftExo Lift permanently relieves and protects the spine, joints and muscles of the wearer.
In addition, the tension of the leg support gives up to 21% more strength when lifting. Wearing the SoftExo Lift also improves the individual’s lifting and carrying technique, so that a lasting effect can be observed beyond the daily work routine. Users experience less fatigue, which has been shown to result in fewer picking errors at the end of the shift. This leads directly to increased productivity.
Innovations
The patented back splint completely decouples the spine from additional load. No tensile forces are placed on the shoulder, which would lead to additional strain on the intervertebral discs. The back splint also provides the user with haptic feedback if he or she should fall into a hunched back or excessive twisting of the lower lumbar sector. This leads to an ergonomic posture being adopted again in order to load the human body according to anatomical ideals.
By involving the knee joints, they are guided and supported during squatting by the ligaments passing laterally. By embracing the sensitive joint, pressure points on the thigh can be bypassed and the user’s movements guided.
The SoftExo from HUNIC also does not require an external energy source, thus eliminating the dreaded subconscious overloading of the human body. The use of high-tech materials makes it particularly light at 1.4 kg. At the same time, it lies close to the body of its wearer, which greatly reduces the risk of collision with the environment. This means that the SoftExo can be used in almost all working environments. Breathable and at the same time very resilient materials lead to a high wearing comfort and make it very durable.
Under the influence of our own experience and customer feedback, the SoftExo Lift has been continuously developed further. The system is now available in its fifth generation and offers even more comfort and effectiveness.
Market relevance
23% of days of absence from work are due to musculoskeletal disorders. In industry, that’s an average of 1.4 days per year per employee. In addition, many individuals are unable to perform their physically challenging jobs until retirement. Back education and training can often educate but rarely bring about a lasting change in body movements in everyday work. With the SoftExo Lift, we have therefore created a solution for the hard-working people in logistics and the processing industry, which, in addition to the training and the ergonomic sensitization that takes place as a result, offers power support during lifting and carrying operations. In addition to the activities in the warehouse and picking, the use is about machine loading, assembly and testing of components in forced postures. But also the construction industry, crafts and agriculture have countless tasks and processes where human physical strength must be carried and lifted. Last but not least, the care and health sector is served with a slightly modified version of the SoftExo Lift.
Customer benefits
The SoftExo permanently relieves and protects the spine, joints and muscles of the wearer. Wearing the SoftExo Lift regularly also improves the individual’s working posture in the long term, leading to a more ergonomically favorable posture. This makes work more pleasant and ultimately improves the quality of life. Towards the end of the work shift in particular, users experience less fatigue, which is reflected in a lower error rate in logistics. As a result of the reduced downtime and more motivated employees, the company gains an economic advantage.
Test report
High and prolonged strains, for example due to repeated lifting of heavy objects, pose a health risk for employees in production and logistics, which in the worst case can lead to an inability to work. According to the German Trade Association, every tenth day of incapacity to work in Germany is due to back pain.
This is precisely where the assistance system from HUNIC can provide preventive relief. The passive exoskeleton uses a spring principle to support the leg and back muscles when lifting loads and sensitizes the user to ergonomic movement. Due to the adjustment options, the system can be worn by persons weighing from 50 kilograms up to 140 kilograms, regardless of gender. In addition, all modules can be easily exchanged, cleaned in the washing machine and easily replaced when worn out. By optimizing the working posture, the forces acting on the back are reduced by up to 50 percent and distributed evenly. In this way, the SoftExo Lift permanently relieves and protects the wearer’s spine, joints and muscles.
In addition, the tension of the leg support gives up to 21 percent more strength when lifting. Wearing the SoftExo Lift also improves the individual’s lifting and carrying technique, so that a lasting effect can be observed beyond the everyday working day. Users tire less and thus make fewer picking errors at the end of the shift.
With the help of the patented back rail, the spine is completely decoupled from additional load. No tensile forces are placed on the shoulder, causing additional strain on the intervertebral discs. The back splint also provides the user with haptic feedback if he or she slips into a hunched back or excessive twisting of the lower lumbar sector. Consequently, the user resumes an ergonomic posture. The user’s body is thus loaded according to anatomical ideals. Due to the integration of the knee joints, they are guided and supported by the laterally passing ligaments when squatting down. The enclosure of the sensitive joint avoids pressure points on the user’s thigh.
The SoftExo Lift by HUNIC does not require any external energy source, which thus excludes subconscious overloading of the human body. Due to the use of high-tech materials, the exoskeleton weighs only 1.4 kilograms. At the same time, it lies close to the wearer’s body, which reduces the risk of collision with the environment.
IFOY test verdict
The SoftExo Lift permanently relieves and protects the user’s spine, joints and muscles. Wearing the exoskeleton from HUNIC on a regular basis sustainably improves the individual working posture towards an ergonomically more favorable posture. This creates the conditions for more comfortable work and ultimately for a better quality of life. Especially towards the end of the work shift, a reduced fatigue of the users can be observed. Due to reduced downtime and more motivated employees, the company gains an economic advantage. Consequently, the investment of 1,000 euros per exoskeleton is well worth it.
IFOY Innovation Check
Market relevance
The topic of exoskeletons or ergonomic body support is becoming increasingly important to continue to be able to work responsibly with people in industrial and commercial environments, even in times of significant demographic change. Humans still have superior capabilities compared to automated technology in certain areas and activities, which can be brought to greater efficiency and productivity at high quality with technological support. Nevertheless, the fields of application of exoskeletons are still manageable so far.
Customer benefit
The deliberate conversion to a support instrument that is easy to wear and less annoying significantly increases acceptance. By consciously pointing out incorrect movements through the product, physical overloads and thus damage are avoided at an early stage. An increase in performance is often the result. The adaptation of the product to different areas of activity allows targeted use and thus the optimization of very specific physical activities.
Novelty / Innovation
It is a completely passive exoskeleton that also has few solid areas that would negatively affect wearing comfort and thus be detrimental to acceptance. The very great innovative leap therefore lies on the one hand in the design of the exoskeleton from purely soft, elastic materials, without neglecting the support function. Furthermore, it is the targeted pointing out and thus prevention of incorrect movements. In addition, the exoskeleton is prepared to accept sensors (e.g. from the IFOY nominee Predimo) for process monitoring and optimization, for movement optimization and for increasing occupational safety.
Functionality / Type of implementation
The exoskeleton is of very high quality. As mentioned, the focus is on high wearing comfort and thus acceptance by the user. Through the connection with sensor technology, it allows a significant optimization of processes towards more safety and health in the future. Particularly noteworthy are the different versions for different activities with adapted, very intelligent features.
Verdict
This start-up takes up the exoskeleton theme, in a novel, soft version. Support for certain movements is available but is not the focus. Wearing comfort of the exoskeleton and especially showing wrong movement patterns are the focus. In addition, various features will be integrated for different sectors (e.g., a handle for patients in the nursing sector to support lifting. It will also be possible to attach sensors and evaluation units to the exoskeleton to implement optimization and monitoring.
| Functionality / type of implementation | ++ |
| Novelty / Innovation | ++ |
| Customer benefits | + |
| Market relevance | Ø |
| ++ very good / + good / Ø balanced / – less / — not available | |
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Image/video credits: HUNIC GmbH
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