He further added, “We care about our employees and are trying to help them do their jobs with the least amount of wear and tear on their bodies possible.” The wearables are called EksoVests, and they are the result of a unique partnership between bionics firm Ekso Bionics and Ford, which saw its first pilot in November 2017. Ford has tested the vest in two of its plants in the US and has seen a very positive outcome.
The impressive ability of the vests to assist five pounds to fifteen pounds per arm. Ford employees said that the vests were ‘comfortable’ and ‘lightweight.’ Nick Gotts, an original EksoVest operator at Flat Rock Assembly, said, “I don’t want the EksoVest ever to leave. Any job that’s overhead, I wouldn’t work without it.” EksoVests are adaptable to workers heights, ranging from 5 feet 2 inches tall to 6 feet 4 inches tall. It is refined to cater mainly to Ford factory workers through feedback which was given by the plant operators.
Paul Collins, an assembly line worker at Ford Michigan Assembly Plant during the first trial said, “My job entails working over my head, so when I get home my back, neck, and shoulders usually hurt. Since I started using the vest, I’m not as sore, and I have more energy to play with my grandsons when I get home.” Ford has now extended its EksoVest program to all North American assembly plants as well as those in the Asia Pacific, Europe, and South America. For Ekso Bionics, the partnership has been an opportunity to showcase their life-altering technology.