Implementation of the Ironhand exoskeleton glove across the Australian red meat industry

An exoskeleton device, the Ironhand “bionic” glove (Bioservo) is able to enhance the grip strength of operators within the red meat industry. Initial testing of the glove has revealed an approximate 15-18% reduction in hand force exertion when worn for beef boning and slicing tasks when only using default glove configuration. This project will conduct the next wave of testing to establish the glove configuration settings most likely to deliver higher levels of force assistance, up to 30%. It will also provide valuable information on how the hand works for future AMPC and industry research. The key project outcome will be a detailed user guide to support the rapid and effective uptake of the Ironhand glove across the industry as well as a paper explaining how the hand works in different situations.