BionicBack instead of a traditional lifting aid? When is which type of support most appropriate?
A forklift truck moves pallets. A pallet truck makes transport easier. A lifting table raises loads to a suitable working height. And yet, in many work processes, there remains a task that people still have to carry out themselves: grasping, lifting, carrying, setting down and, in the process, bending down time and time again.
This is exactly where the BionicBack comes in. Not as a replacement for traditional lifting aids, but as a complement to tasks where employees continue to perform physically demanding work. The BionicBack is a passive back exoskeleton designed to provide close-to-the-body support during activities involving repeated bending and straightening, as well as when working in a bent-over position.
What traditional lifting aids can do
Technical lifting aids are an important part of ergonomic workstations. They reduce manual loads and can significantly ease the strain on employees during many transport and lifting tasks.
Forklift trucks move heavy or palletised loads.
Pallet trucks are used to assist with internal transport.
Lifting tables raise work materials to a suitable working height.
Cranes and other lifting equipment are used to move particularly heavy loads.
These aids are indispensable when loads need to be bundled, placed on pallets or moved over long distances. However, not every physical task can be carried out by a machine.
Why manual labour is still necessary
Many work processes involve more than just moving a full pallet or a heavy load. Employees still have to grasp, pick up, sort, carry and put down individual items themselves.
Typical examples include:
when picking, remove boxes or goods from different shelf heights,
when loading and unloading, pick up and set down individual packages from vehicles,
moving crates or containers in drinks logistics,
when moving furniture, pick up, carry and position furniture components,
in gardening and landscaping, picking up materials or tools from near the ground,
repeatedly picking up and putting down components, tools or materials on building sites and in workshops,
working in a bent-over position for prolonged periods or repeatedly whilst carrying out assembly work.
Furthermore, workstations and movement patterns often change in many of these tasks. A forklift truck can move a pallet, but it cannot remove every single box from a shelf. A lifting table can set a specific working height, but it does not follow the worker throughout the entire work process.
It is precisely these repetitive movements – bending down, standing up, lifting and carrying – that can put strain on the back during the working day.
How the BionicBack complements these activities
The BionicBack is worn directly against the body and supports the back during dynamic movements such as bending and lifting. The passive structure operates without a battery, motor or charging time and can therefore also be used at different workstations.
The support remains close to the body: the flexible back structure is designed to allow movements such as turning, bending and standing up to continue. The BionicBack can be put on in a matter of seconds and can be used in situations where a conventional lifting aid does not cover every single movement.
For tasks involving prolonged forward-leaning postures, the system also offers a static support function. Dynamic support is available for frequent, repetitive bending and lifting.
Which solution is best suited to which task?
Forklift or crane: For heavy, palletised or bundled loads and longer transport distances.
Pallet truck: for the internal transport of pallets and load carriers.
Lifting table: for specific workstations where materials need to be raised to a suitable height.
BionicBack exoskeleton: for repetitive bending, lifting and standing up, as well as for varied tasks where workers continue to handle individual loads directly.
Combination: for work processes in which machines move heavy loads and workers then pick, sort, load or unload them.
BionicBack exoskeleton: for repeated bending, lifting and standing up, as well as for varied tasks in which workers continue to handle individual loads directly.
Combination: for work processes in which machines move heavy loads and workers then pick, sort, load or unload them.
Frequently asked questions about the BionicBack exoskeleton:
What types of work is the BionicBack suitable for? For example, order picking, loading and unloading, furniture and drinks logistics, assembly, construction, and other tasks involving repeated bending and lifting.
Does the BionicBack restrict freedom of movement? The back support structure is flexible and designed to accommodate natural movements. The system supports the back without dictating the entire workflow through rigid guidance.
Does the BionicBack replace a risk assessment? No. Before its introduction, work processes should be analysed and technical, organisational and personal protective measures considered together.
conclusion
Traditional lifting aids and exoskeletons serve different purposes. Forklift trucks, pallet trucks and lifting tables reduce the load or raise materials to a suitable height. The BionicBack supports the user where manual work is still required.
The best solution is therefore often not an either/or choice, but a well-coordinated combination: machines handle heavy loads – the BionicBack supports the back during the repetitive movements in between.
More about the BionicBack:
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