Industrial Human Augmentation Technologies (iHATS) for …Army integrated with MSA 4 Integrated MSA onto Mantis and tested. (1st tool-holding exoskeleton prototype) 7. Two vendors

CAPT Mark Vandroff Commanding Officer, NSWCCD

Larry Tarasek Technical Director (Acting), NSWCCD

Industrial Human Augmentation Technologies

(iHATS) for the Navy’s Shipbuilding Industrial Base

Industrial Exoskeleton Workshop

Ohio Safety Conference 2018

Jamie Mattern, Mechanical Engineer

9 March 2018

Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 1

AMERICA’S FLEET STARTS HERE Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 2

Contents

• Why?

• Naval Surface Warfare Center,

Carderock Division (NSWCCD)

iHAT Background

• Types of iHATS

• Types of Industrial Exoskeletons (iExos)

• iExo Users

• Lessons Learned

• Current Efforts

• Future Plans


Expected Benefits of Industrial Exos

• Increased throughput

• Shorter breaks needed to recover

• More sustained quality

• Reduced re-work

• Increased Worker Safety

• Reduced muscular strain

• Reduced muscular fatigue

• Reduced risk of strain related injuries

• Improved quality of worker life

• Longer and healthier career

AMERICA’S FLEET STARTS HERE

Injury Root Cause Assessment


The ‘Top 3’ root causes of strain-related injuries found within our shipyards:

1) Tool Weight & Force required to apply a hand-held power tool to a work piece in many different orientations;

2) Awkward posture required to apply a hand-held power tool to a work piece; and

3) Vibration transferred from a hand-held power tool and/or work piece back into the worker’s arms and upper body.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 8-10 strain-related injuries requiring medical attention per year for every 1,000 manufacturing employees. Each injury results

in 7 lost workdays on average.


Injury Target Population


Number of Injuries

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Knee(s)

Lumbar region

Ankle(s)

Back, including spine, spinal cord, n.e.c.

Back, including spine, spinal cord, unspecified

Shoulder, including clavicle, scapula

Eye(s)

Thoracic region

Elbow(s)

Cheek(s)

Foot(feet), except toe(s), unspecified

Leg(s), unspecified

Type of Injury

Source: 2008-2010 Naval Shipyard Injury Data with Ergonomic Components

Frequency of Injury

2008-2010 Naval Shipyard Injury Frequency by Type


Injury Cost Avoidance Potential


• OSHA Small Business Safety Pays Program

• OSHA Small Business Injury Cost Calculator • https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/estimator.html

• Average costs from National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc.

• From industrial workers’ compensation insurance claims for 2011-2013

• Average total costs for specific injuries • Includes Direct and Indirect Costs

• Strain $69,594

• Sprain $62,976

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome $64,069

• All Other Cumulative Injuries, NOC $83,429

The estimated cost of just one of these injuries

is more than the purchase price of multiple iExos* * Actual return varies with the price on each specific exo.

https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/estimator.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/estimator.html


NSWCCD Background


FY16 FY17 FY13 FY18 FY12

2. Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) lower-body exoskeleton from the U.S.

Army integrated with MSA

4 Integrated MSA onto Mantis and tested.

(1st tool-holding exoskeleton prototype)

7. Two vendors develop their own tool-holding

exoskeleton prototypes for shipyard testing

(LM-Fortis and BAE-Orthotic Load Assistance Device (OLAD )-X

FY14 FY15

8. Exo field testing at Naval Shipyards.

12. Wearable situational awareness sensor arrays for

confined space workers.

13. Light Weight, Low Cost Exo &

Pneumatically-powered lift-assist exo.

SAND SNAKE

14. Tele-operated snake robot for sandblasting

shipboard tanks and voids.

9. Tool-holding Exo transition to Private Shipyards.

6. Navy SEA & AIR agree to collaborate

on tool-holding exoskeleton technology

5. Naval Shipyard testing of tool holding exoskeletons

for corrosion control applications

3. Testing of LM Prototype Mantis with

MSA

1. COTS zeroG Motion Stabilizing Arm

(MSA)

A

C D

E

F

B

I

G

J

H

K

Environmental Sensor Array

Situational Awareness Sensor Array

Biomedical Sensor Array


Types of iHATS


• Industrial Exoskeletons – Full Exoskeletons

– Exo-Vests

– Exo-Legs

• Motion Stabilizing Arms (MSAs) – Equipois zeroG Arm (Steady-Cam from Motion Picture Industry)

– 3 Arm Tool Balancing Arm

– Torque Reaction arms

• User Safety Monitors – Environmental Sensors

– Physiological Sensors

– Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs)

Environmental Sensor Array

Situational Awareness Sensor Array

Biomedical Sensor Array

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjcw8KrwevYAhUSM6wKHbUgAmIQjRwIBw&url=http://www.southwesternpts.com/ergonomic-solutions/ergonomic-arms&psig=AOvVaw1W4uvP54RJwWPj468xl5yE&ust=1516708405433040http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjP_56Fw-vYAhUFRa0KHRujCKQQjRwIBw&url=http://www.machinedesign.com/motion-control/manufacturing-workers-become-more-human-exoskeletons&psig=AOvVaw1n_HhdGAAsVLxajmGzcieF&ust=1516708874828742


Types of Commercially Available iExos


Tool Holding

•Levitate Technologies Airframe - $3500*

•Ekso Bionics Eksoworks Vest - $6500*

•suitX Shoulder-X - $4000*

Postural Support

• suitX Back-X/S -$4000*

• suitX Leg-X - $6000*

• Noonee Chairless Chair (Comps) $1000*

• Strongarm V22 - $750*

• Strongarm Flx - $350*

• Laevo Exoskelet

Lift & Carry Assist

•Strongarm Technologies V22 - $750*

•Levitate Technologies Airframe - $3500*

•Eksobionics Eksoworks Vest - $6500*

•suitX MAX - $11000*

•suitX Shoulder-X - $4000*

•Laevo Exoskelet

* Current pricing may be different than last known prices above.


iExo User Organizations


• Puget Sound Naval Shipyard has assessed seven (7) exoskeletons since 2011 • Currently testing

• Ekso Bionics Eksovest • suitX MAX system

• OLAD-X was no longer supported as of early 2016

LM HULC 2-days

100 lbs*

LM Mantis 18-months

55 lbs*

LM Fortis Own

30 lbs*

BAE OLAD-X Own

35 lbs*

Equipois Own

20 lbs*

2011 $500K*

2012-13 $250K*

2015 $60K*

2015 $40K*

2015 $15K*

2016 $6.5K*

2017 $15K*

EksoBionics Own

9.5 lbs*

suitX Own

7.5-13.7 lbs*

Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited




iExo Application Identification at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

* Prices and weights are approximate.




iExo Application Identification at Norfolk Sound Naval Shipyard

• Levitate Airframe Demo

• Strongarm V22 & Flx Demo

• Based on demo feedback, procuring all 3 models for further application identification

• Planning for future efforts with suitX, Laevo, Noonee & Eksoworks Vest




iExo Application Identification at Private Navy Shipyard

• Currently working with • Strongarm V22 & Flx • suitX MAX system • suitX Back-X • suitX Shoulder-X

• Planning for future efforts with Noonee, Ekso Bionics, Laevo & Levitate




iExo Application Identification at Other DoD Organizations

• Marine Corp Depots • MSAs with Magnetic Base • Plans for other iExos

• Army Depots • FORTIS • Plans for other iExos

• Air Force Depots • FORTIS • suitX • Plans for other iExos


iExo User Industries


• Many private companies in a number of industries currently using iExos in production • Aircraft Manufacturing 2 • Airline 1 • Automotive 7 • Equipment Builders 1 • Logistics 4 • Power Generation 1 • Shipbuilding & Repair 1 • Specialty Manufacturing 1

• Need to pursue DoD Logistics Applications • Defense Logistics Agency • Defense Supply Center


Potential iExo Users in Ohio


• DLA & DSC • Private Companies

• Parker Hannifan • Goodrich • Ericson Manufacturing • Ohio Steel Industries

• Defense Contractors • Boeing • Lockheed Martin • General Dynamics • General Electric • BAE • Bechtel • Lincoln Electric • Warnick • Federal Equipment


iExos User Feedback


• FORTIS • Puget Sound Naval Shipyard • Norfolk Naval Shipyard • Air Force Depots • Army Depots • Over 60 personnel trained

• All Vests & Other iExos •Tool Holding - Ekso Bionics, Levitate & suitX •Postural Support – Laevo, Noonee, Strongarm & suitX •Lift & Carry Assist - Ekso Bionics, Laevo, Levitate, Strongarm &

suitX •Mostly positive feedback from demos and application

assessments •Some negative feedback for exos used for unintended

applications


iExo Lessons Learned


• Need to collect data to validate productivity & other benefits

• iExos designed for specific applications, not good for all uses

• End users must like & want to use iExos for success • Must be easy to transport to worksite • iExos must be ergonomic

• iExos can cause initial soreness until muscles are conditioned

• Anthropomorphic limits of exos must be validated for safe use

• Need safety & T&E standards and certification of iExos • ASTM Committee F48 Exoskeletons & Exosuits


T&E Lessons Learned


• Formal structured short & long term T&E needed for all iExos • T&E in production setting is very challenging • Better to do T&E using mock-ups in a controlled setting • Testing with and without iExos must be under same conditions • Same task • Tool orientation • Environmental conditions • Test plans should mimic normal work schedules

• iExo T&E is Human Subject Research -> must meet all Human Research Protection Program Requirements • Thoroughly screen test subjects for existing medical issues negatively impacting T&E


Current NSWCCD Efforts


• ASTM F48 Exoskeletons & Exosuits Specification • iExo Documentation

– Draft DoD iExo Procurement Specification (safety related)– for procurement – Draft Business Case Analyses – for approval to procure

• Wearable Sensor Arrays – Safety Goggles – Biomedical Sensors – Environmental Sensors – Situational Awareness Sensors

• Shipyard Use/Testing Support o PSNSY

– SuitX components & MAX (shoulder-X, back-X and leg-X together) – Eksoworks Vest

o NNSY – Airframe – V22, Flx

o Commercial Navy Shipbuilders – SuitX components & MAX (shoulder-X, back-X and leg-X together) – V22, Flx – Airframe – zeroG Arm


NSWCCD Future Planned Efforts

• Lift/Carry Assist Foreign Comparative Test Program – Multi-service – Industrial, Logistics, Medical & Warfighter applications

• Lightweight, Low Cost, Modular iExo Development – Modular design for multiple applications – 3-D printing for custom components and ergonomic fit – Leather for hot work

• Pneumatically Powered Lift Assist iExos • Tele-operated Robotics – Sand Snake – Grit blasting tanks & voids – Other robots/tools for confined/hazardous spaces

• Transition to Navy shipbuilders through the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP)


Follow Up


• NSWCCD interested in your iExo applications • Encourage participation in development of ASTM

F48 Exoskeletons and Exosuits Specification

[email protected] 301-227-0769

Questions?
mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Industrial Human Augmentation Technologies (iHATS) for …Army integrated with MSA 4 Integrated MSA onto Mantis and tested. (1st tool-holding exoskeleton prototype) 7. Two vendors