Exoskeletons are wearable devices, worn by a human. They are placed on the user’s body and act as amplifiers that augment, reinforce or restore human performance.
There are both powered exoskeletons, with active elements such as motors, and passive exoskeletons that work entirely mechanical. Exoskeletons can also serve for different purposes: for example in rehabilitation lower limb exoskeletons can help persons to walk again. In the industry exoskeletons reduce the loads and strains placed on the human body during physical work.
As anywhere, in a large number of companies in Flanders human operators still need to perform physically demanding tasks such as overhead working or handling weights.