DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Technology

Wearable robots ease shoulder pain for South Korean farmers

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Farmers in South Korea are benefiting from wearable robots that alleviate shoulder pain during repetitive agricultural tasks.
  • The 'X-ble Shoulder' robots, developed by Hyundai Motor Group, are being distributed free of charge to farms in Chungnam province.
  • These passive robots help maintain arm positions for extended periods, reducing muscle strain and improving work efficiency, according to research.

Farmers in South Korea are finding relief from chronic shoulder pain thanks to a new wearable robot technology. In a vineyard in Cheongyang, Chungnam province, farmer Jo Yun-ok, 60, works tirelessly sorting grapes while wearing a specialized vest connected to mechanical arms. This device, the 'X-ble Shoulder,' allows her to hold her arms above her head for extended periods without discomfort.

The pain I felt every morning when I woke up has disappeared since I started wearing the vest.

— Jo Yun-okA farmer describing the relief from shoulder pain after using the wearable robot.

"The pain I felt every morning when I woke up has disappeared since I started wearing the vest," Jo said. The robot assists in maintaining specific postures, significantly reducing the physical strain associated with prolonged agricultural work. This initiative is part of a program by the Chungnam Agricultural Research and Extension Services to distribute 65 units of the 'X-ble Shoulder' robots, developed by Hyundai Motor Group's robotics lab, to farms across five cities and counties.

The 'X-ble Shoulder' is a passive wearable robot, meaning it uses springs to support the user's arms, requiring no electricity or batteries. This makes it particularly suitable for long working hours in agriculture. The cost of each unit is approximately 3.3 million won (about $2,400 USD), with the provincial government and local municipalities covering the expense for the farmers. This marks the first time passive wearable robots have been distributed to farms in South Korea.

We [Drenthe] are proud of the rich history of our beautiful and unique Drenthe landscape. These special finds underline that value once again.

— Yvonne TurenhoutProvincial Executive Member of Drenthe, commenting on the historical importance of the finds.

Research from the Rural Development Administration indicates that the 'X-ble Shoulder' reduced shoulder muscle usage by an average of 33.37% in field tests involving 38 adult male farmers. This is crucial as musculoskeletal disorders account for a high percentage of work-related illnesses among agricultural workers, a problem exacerbated by the aging farming population. Seo Min-tae, a researcher at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, emphasized the importance of prevention, noting that "musculoskeletal diseases account for a high proportion of 92.9%" of occupational diseases in agriculture.

Musculoskeletal diseases account for a high proportion of 92.9% of occupational diseases in agriculture.

— Seo Min-taeResearcher at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, highlighting the prevalence of work-related injuries in farming.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog