The Pros and Cons Of Using Exoskeletons

The exosuits (or the exoskeletons) should reach 1.8 billion $ in 2025! Construction companies are already working closely with exoskeleton developers to make sure that the suits meet their needs.

https://archdesk.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-exoskeletons/

Fast forward into the not-so-distant future and you will see people working in the Construction Industry using the phrase “Suit up!” on a daily basis! The exosuits (or the exoskeletons) should reach 1.8 billion $ in 2025, according to ABI Research - mainly used for rehabilitation, but the possibilities of using an exosuit are unlimited! Construction and manufacturing industry would have plenty to gain from using them, so this is why we will show you today some Pro’s and Con’s of using Exo Suits in a construction company!

Advantages of exoskeleton:

Dropping Prices - Give the exosuits some time, they are advancing (tech-wise) and the prices are slowly (but surely) dropping. They are still worth several thousand per piece but they are a long term investment, an asset for your company’s future.
The Power - your employees will be able to lift 200 pounds by using the exosuit, using the same amount of effort/energy as if you would pick up a pen you just dropped to the floor!
Configuration - companies are willing to work with their customers by adding additional features, specialized to your needs
Lower Workplace Injury Rates - reports find that non-fatal injury rates in the construction industry are 71% higher than any other industry - exoskeletons can change that!

Disadvantages of exoskeleton:

The cost - they are not cheap, even the simple models cost thousands of dollars. It would become economical for a company if multiple persons would use (by rotation) the exoskeleton while working on a task (making certain tasks easier to perform). You can use your Asset Management Software to control the schedule of Exoskeletons’ usage.
Limited Power Range - they have, at this point, limited mobile power supplies - that means you cannot move them easily everywhere and they have a very limited power range, running out of batteries pretty quickly.
Limited Motion Range - a human being, unrestricted, has a large range of motions that they can perform; certain flexibility and spring in their walk… if they will have a full-body exoskeleton attached to their frame, your employees’ movement will be cumbersome! Also, the speed of motions will be an issue (hopefully future models will get better at this!) as the machine itself is not built for this purpose, but rather for the brute force.

Even if the Exo Suits are in their early stages and they are worth a lot of money, they are a great investment for the future. Some construction industries are already working closely with exoskeleton developers to make sure that the suits meet their needs - take for example Gammon (Hong Kong construction company).

Constant feedback is vital here, both for the producers but also for the construction companies. Making the construction process safer and more efficient is key and can be a result of these developments.

Anda Alexandra Rosiek

ERP Implementation Consultant

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