Farmers' perceptions of exoskeleton use on farms: Finding the right tool for the work(er)

Despite the promising impact that exoskeletons might have on reducing MSDs, on-farm investigations of exoskeletons are limited. This study explored farmers' perceptions of the feasibility and practicality of exoskeleton use in Canadian prairie grain and livestock farm operations. Fifteen farm workers (age 25-70 years) used a passive back-supporting exoskeleton during standardized and unique tasks at their own farms. They then participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences during the trials, advantages and disadvantages of exoskeleton use, suggested improvements, and speculation about feasibility of exoskeleton use on farms. Interview analysis revealed seven overlapping and inter-related themes: 'safety', 'comfort', 'jobs & timing', 'health', 'mobility', 'ease of use', and 'productivity'. Interviews showed diversity in farmers' perceptions of exoskeleton performance within these themes, demonstrating that successful implementation on farms will require alignment between the exoskeleton design, the users, and the tasks being performed. Findings can facilitate development of future designs as well as appropriate implementation strategies for the farm environment, with the ultimate goal of improving the health, quality of life, and productivity of farmers and workers facing similar ergonomic hazards.