trend:
Smart Ports & Green Shipping
team:
Lucia Lencioni, CEO Fabio Piazza, CCO Fabio Salsedo, CTO Fiammetta Nannini, Sales Manager
Human activities involving manual handling, especially in sectors such as port logistics, generate significant biomechanical risks, which are further aggravated by the ageing of our society. This carries increased threats to workers’ health, as well as potential productivity losses for companies and increasing regulatory pressure, which requires urgent solutions (SOURCE: EU-OSHA, Work-related MSDs: prevalence, costs and demographics in the EU (2019)).
Wearable Robotics is involved in the design, manufacture and marketing of advanced wearable robotic devices integrated with VR systems in the industrial and medical fields.
meet the startup
Wearable Robotics (WR) is a spin-off company of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa, born out of the long tradition of scientific research in the field of exoskeletons and wearable robotics at the PERCRO Perceptual Robotics laboratory.
Specialising in the development and marketing of robotic exoskeletons, WR is geared mainly to the biomedical sector with a focus on neuro-rehabilitation, as well as to the industrial sector as a support for manual handling of loads. These mechanical devices are designed to reduce physical strain on workers, offering support in carrying out the most demanding tasks.
EXOSKELETONS TO REVOLUTIONISE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY
Wearable Robotics’ devices offer an innovative solution that reduces the strain on the musculoskeletal system by up to 100%. Thanks to ‘hybrid actuation’, an innovative technique developed by WR that combines elastic elements and electrical actuators, the start-up company is able to create exoskeletons but also to adjust the amount of force generated via software, while limiting energy expenditure.
WR has set out to explore an uncharted market niche for devices with lifting capacities between 10 and 60 kg, which will have a significant impact on the health and safety of workers.
IMPACT
Wearable Robotics is dedicated to promoting the safety and well-being of workers in industrial environments. This is done through a risk acceptability assessment, an impact assessment based on clinical scales and an analysis of increased productivity.
FAROS AND BEYOND
Participation in the call and the acceleration pathway were both useful for completing the industrial development and integrating environmental sustainability aspects. A collaboration with Fincantieri has been initiated to develop customised exoskeletons for specific needs and applications.
This experience was an educational and professional opportunity that enabled WR to strengthen its market presence and fully exploit the innovative potential of its robotic exoskeletons.
