Anyone who has ever been to the doctor because of back pain quickly learns: sitting incorrectly and especially standing for long periods of time are poison for the back. But there are situations and especially professions in which long periods of standing are unavoidable. Whether surgeons, security guards, cooks or factory workers - almost all of them will sooner or later be confronted with the problems associated with static, upright standing. Various solutions have already been developed to reduce physical strain at work. Recently, exoskeletons have been the talk of the town, but they usually only provide relief for demanding movement sequences, such as heavy lifting or overhead work. At HANNOVER MESSE 2023, a new exoskeleton from Japan will be presented, which is supposed to protect against back pain and other physical impairments caused by long periods of standing.

Does everything - and even without electrical support

The FX Stick by Archelis from Yokohama is an exoskeleton that is supposed to support the body seamlessly in all positions and still allows the wearer to move freely, bend the knees or even spontaneously change to a sitting position. The special feature of the FX Stick is its purely mechanical design, which means that no external energy supply is needed for operation. As befits a real exoskeleton, the FX Stick is also worn on the outside, i.e. over clothing. This also ensures that it should take an average of just 16 seconds for the exoskeleton to fit perfectly - and only nine seconds for it to be detached from the wearer's body again.

Already the second generation

The FX Stick presented in Hanover is already the second generation. In contrast to its predecessor, the new model is more flexible and 15 per cent lighter, making it even more suitable for constant wearing at different workplaces and in different environments - even during very movement-intensive and physical activities. In addition, it can be put on and taken off much faster, in 16 and nine seconds respectively.

Inexpensive but not necessarily affordable for everyone

With a price of just under 3,000 euros, the FX Stick from Archelis is actually considerably cheaper than most of its electric competitors on the market. However, it would be beyond the budget of a nurse or a factory worker to buy such a device on their own initiative. The target group is therefore clearly far-sighted employers who recognise the added value if their employees can stay on their feet longer without having to be absent in the long term due to medical problems.

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