Hyundai Engineering & Construction Deploys Wearable Robot That Reduces Shoulder Load by Up to 60% on Site

Reducing Fatigue from Repetitive Tasks

Improved Ease of Use

Hyundai Engineering & Construction introduced an industrial wearable robot at its construction site that can reduce the shoulder load of workers performing overhead ceiling tasks by up to 60%.

On July 29, Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced that, for the first time in the construction industry, it has deployed the "X-ble Shoulder"—developed by the Robotics Lab of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia—at the interior carpentry site of "The H Clast" project in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Wearing the industrial wearable robot 'Xbl Shoulder' while performing ceiling work. Hyundai Construction

Interior carpentry workers must continually lift their arms above their heads to install and secure materials on the ceiling. As the work hours increase, fatigue accumulates in the shoulders and arms, elevating the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, and leading to decreased concentration and stability in posture.

The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robot that assists with upper arm strength when workers raise their arms. It uses spring elasticity to support the arms, requiring no motors or batteries and thus no charging. It is lightweight and easy to maintain and manage.

Wearing this device can reduce the load on shoulder joints by up to 60% and the use of shoulder muscles by up to 30%. The system allows the shoulder joint to move freely from 0 to 180 degrees, so it does not interfere with two-handed tasks or with sitting and resting.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction plans to apply the X-ble Shoulder to other processes that require workers to raise their arms, such as overhead facility installation, ceiling painting, and wallpapering.

The HMG Construction Technology Research Institute, jointly operated by Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Hyundai Engineering, has established a Smart Construction Lab, a Robotics Research Team, and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Team to develop on-site technologies. Currently, ground-controlled tower cranes, autonomous material transport robots for night operations, the robotic patrol dog "Spot," and unmanned drone stations are being implemented at construction sites.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.