Investigating the Role of Haptic Feedback in Enhancing Immersive ExoskeletonTraining in Construction

Exoskeletons hold promises for reducing physical strain in construction tasks such as bending and lifting, thereby enhancing worker safety and productivity. However, improper use due to insufficient training may introduce new risks. This study investigates the effectiveness of haptic feedback in exoskeleton training using a virtual reality (VR) platform that simulates prolonged bending tasks. Haptic cues are employed to support intuitive control and postural awareness. Results demonstrate that participants receiving haptic feedback completed tasks 114.6 s faster and achieved a 62% improvement in posture accuracy compared to the non-haptic group. Subjective assessments also indicated higher perceived usefulness (M = 6.32 versus 5.13), with no significant difference in ease of use (p = 0.17). These findings highlight the critical role of haptic feedback in enhancing the quality of VR-based exoskeleton training and suggest its integration can lead to safer, more efficient implementation of wearable robotics in construction environments.