The Effect of a Passive Shoulder Exoskeleton and Muscle Fatigue on Occupational Work Performance

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In this investigation, participants perform simulated occupational work during which the task performance will be logged. This research investigates the effect of peripheral fatigue and a passive shoulder exoskeleton on the task performance.

Official Title
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The Effect of a Passive Shoulder Exoskeleton and Muscle Fatigue on Occupational Work Performance

Conditions
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Fatigue, Muscle Strain, Physical Stress

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Passive shoulder exoskeleton
* Behavioral: Fatigue protocol
* Device: No exoskeleton support
* Behavioral: No peripheral fatiguing protocol


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: healthy (based on ParQ questionnaire) right handed Exclusion Criteria: current musculoskeletal disorder history of recurrent musculoskeletal discorder

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: counterbalanced randomized cross-over study
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Peripheral fatigue - No support<br>peripheral fatigue induced and overhead work performed without exoskeleton support | Behavioral: Fatigue protocol<br>* Participants complete a fatiguing protocol<br>Device: No exoskeleton support<br>* Exoskeleton is worn, but no support provided<br>|
| Experimental: Peripheral fatigue - Exoskeleton support<br>peripheral fatigue induced and overhead work performed with exoskeleton support | Device: Passive shoulder exoskeleton<br>* Participants complete overhead working task with support of exo<br>Behavioral: Fatigue protocol<br>* Participants complete a fatiguing protocol<br>|
| Experimental: No fatigue - No support<br>peripheral fatigue induced and overhead work performed without exoskeleton support | Device: No exoskeleton support<br>* Exoskeleton is worn, but no support provided<br>Behavioral: No peripheral fatiguing protocol<br>* Participants complete no fatiguing protocol<br>|
| Experimental: No fatigue - Exoskeleton support<br>peripheral fatigue induced and overhead work performed with exoskeleton support | Device: Passive shoulder exoskeleton<br>* Participants complete overhead working task with support of exo<br>Behavioral: No peripheral fatiguing protocol<br>* Participants complete no fatiguing protocol<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Work accuracy | The number of errors is tracked | During 2 minutes overhead work | 
| Work pace | Time to completion is tracked | During 2 minutes overhead work | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surface electromyography | Cometa (Mini Wave) sensors with Ambu (BlueSensor) electrodes will be used to collect electromyographic data conform the SENIAM guidelines. The muscles that will be monitored are: deltoideus anterior, deltoideus medialis, deltoideus posterior, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, brachioradialis, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, trapezius descendens, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, flexor carpi radialis, serratus anterior on the right side of the body. The locations of the sensors will be prepared by shaving, abrasion with sandpaper and cleaning with alcohol. To allow relative expression of muscle activity, maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of each muscle that is being monitored will be collected. The average of the maximal activity out of the best two out of three contractions will serve as the MVC value. The outcomes will be the activities of the muscles (as a percentage of the MVC) monitored during the tests. | During 2 minutes overhead work | 
| Kinematic smoothness of movement | Inetrial Measurement Units will be used to track how smoothly the overhead work is completed. Smoothness is determined by the Spectral Arc method. | During 2 minutes overhead work | 
| Workload | NASA TLX questionnaire for workload | After 2 minutes of overhead work | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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peripheral fatigue, overhead work, task performance, ergonomics, effort