Exoskeletons: Game-Changer or the New Back Belt? What the Research Actually Says

Exoskeletons: Game-Changer or the New Back Belt? What the Research Actually Says

From The Business of Ergonomics Podcast by Darcie Jaremey

May 11, 2026 · 33 min

About this episode

The episode explores the implications of exoskeletons in the workplace and questions whether they truly solve ergonomic issues or merely mask them.

Exoskeletons are showing up in warehouses, distribution centres, construction sites, and surgical suites and the marketing behind them is compelling. But before your clients start outfitting their workforce in wearable tech, there's a question that isn't being asked loudly enough: are we solving the ergonomic problem, or just covering it up? We dive into a direct parallel between the exoskeleton boom and the back belt era of the 1990s, a time when an intuitively appealing device was adopted w...

People in this episode

Host: Darcie Jaremey

Topics covered

  • ergonomics
  • exoskeletons
  • wearable tech
  • workplace safety
  • back belts
  • industrial applications

Keywords

  • exoskeletons
  • ergonomic problems
  • wearable technology
  • back belts
  • workforce safety
  • industrial ergonomics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Exoskeletons

Places: warehouses, distribution centres, construction sites, surgical suites

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