Agriculture aid for harvesting and pruning

Farmers working on steep terrain need comfortable tools to improve their working conditions. Olive harvesting, which uses long unbalanced tools for reaching high branches, causes back pain. The posture of farmers, during harvesting operations, has been studied to determine the factors that are relevant in the evaluation of physical fatigue. The paper describes an exoskeleton designed to assist farmers during harvest and pruning. The exoskeleton, worn by the farmer, offers an additional arm to support the harvester. The proposed exoskeleton uses a spring to better balance the weight of the tool on the user’s body, reducing the weight on the upper limbs. The kinematics of the selected architecture is analysed. The exoskeleton is discussed with an emphasis on its advantages and disadvantages. A group of operators has tested the exoskeleton on the field. Myoelectric tests have been performed to evaluate the fatigue. The results are positive, the exoskeleton reduces the perceived load, allowing sufficient dexterity to work outdoors. The research shows that it is possible to create inexpensive exoskeletons for agriculture. The proposed exoskeleton can also be successfully used for branching, painting, and cleaning glass.