Maximum Pressure Gradient Based Fall Risk Comparison of Passive and Active Back-Support Exoskeletons

As the construction industry adopts wearable technologies to enhance worker safety and productivity, back-support exoskeletons have emerged as a promising innovation. However, their impact on stability and fall risk remains underexplored. This study evaluates the effects of active and passive back-support exoskeletons on foot plantar pressure distribution, a key indicator of balance and fall risk, during carpentry framing tasks. Significant differences in maximum pressure gradient (MaxPG) were observed. During lifting tasks, the active exoskeleton increased MaxPG in the metatarsal region by 20%–35% compared to the passive exoskeleton. Across all tasks, the active exoskeleton consistently resulted in a 10%–50% higher MaxPG in toe and arch regions, indicating broader instability. These findings suggest that active exoskeletons, while offering greater mechanical support, may elevate fall risk during dynamic tasks. Task-specific design improvements are essential to balance mechanical support with worker stability.