Development of a smart vest with vibrotactile feedback for postural correction

Musculoskeletal disorders caused by poor posture affect occupational health. In this study, the workstations of administrative personnel were evaluated using the RULA method, yielding a risk level of 2, which indicates the need for ergonomic adjustments. To mitigate this risk, a vibrotactile postural feedback vest was designed, based on an Arduino platform and an accelerometer sensor to measure the user's lateral (ax) and frontal (az) inclinations. The system employs the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32 S3 microcontroller, an MPU6050 sensor, and vibration actuators for correction signals. A three-phase protocol was implemented: (1) familiarization, (2) practice to identify stimuli, and (3) prolonged evaluation. The results showed that the inclinations remained within the correction range, and the frequency of corrections decreased, indicating that users autonomously adjusted their posture, thereby reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.