We meet Arthur Pierre, mixer for the Chocolaterie Monbana. He talks about the integration and use of the Japet.W exoskeleton.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Arthur Pierre, I’m 25 and I’ve been working for Monbana for about a year and a half.
What does your job involve?
My job is to prepare blends. I start by preparing pallets for weighing. That’s where we lift bags of sugar and cocoa and put them on a pallet. Then we put the ingredients in a large container and mix them together.
Can you tell us about your pathology if you have one?
I’m still lucky, I’m young so I don’t have too many back problems yet. Most of the time, my minor aches and pains are muscular pains that occur from time to time.
However, when you’re carrying 25-kilo bags all day long, you can’t really escape muscular fatigue in the lumbar region, even if you’re careful to adopt good posture.
What are the difficulties of your job and the tasks that put the most strain on your back?
The tasks that put the most strain on the back are generally those involving carrying heavy loads, carrying 25-kilo bags every day and transferring pallets. We also put a lot of strain on the back when we’re in the mixing area, putting the cocoa into the container, because we’re really bending over. These are the two jobs that generally put the most strain on the back.
How did the integration of the Japet.W exoskeleton go?
The integration went very well. We were supervised for a month, with a Japet expert on the phone once a week. The aim was to learn the right habits and adapt the device to our body and our constraints. It’s very, very well done!
How long have you been using the exoskeleton?
I’ve been using the exoskeleton for a few months now. I wear it for about an hour and a half when I start my shift and an hour and a half at the end of my shift.
What are your impressions/feelings of the device?
It’s really a belt that supports the back with its 4 actuators. It’s fairly compact and very light. After a few hours’ use, we’re very comfortable using the exoskeleton to move around and work. You feel that it takes the strain off your back and allows you to stand up straight quite naturally.
Personally, before, from 0 to 10, I had a level of pain of two or three. Generally, when I took the exoskeleton off, I had nothing anymore, unlike before when I always had my back pain, which disappeared in the evening.
Any closing remarks?
I’m very pleased that Monbana has decided to acquire exoskeletons. I think it’s a great move, and I think a lot of companies will be able to benefit from it. For me, it’s the future for companies with jobs that require a lot of heavy lifting, or for employees with back problems.