Heavy Lifting Made Easy... Environmental Officers to Get "Wearable Robots"

Dobong-gu Holds Wearable Robot Demonstration on the 14th...
Introduction Planned Upon Budget Approval
Priority Distribution to Environmental Officers in Street Cleaning and Large Waste Disposal

Dobong-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Unseok) is actively working to introduce "wearable robots" to improve the work convenience of its environmental officers.

On May 14, the district held a demonstration of wearable robots at the Dobong-gu Office square. Mayor Oh Unseok and environmental officers tried on the wearable robots themselves before their official introduction to assess their effectiveness.

On this day, they wore the wearable robots and tested lifting heavy objects to carefully check how much assistance the devices would provide during actual work.

Environmental officer A said, "I think it will be very helpful in the field. I believe it will significantly improve our work efficiency," sharing their impression after trying on the device.

According to a representative from the manufacturing company, the "wearable robot," or muscle-strengthening exoskeleton, reduces the burden on the lower body when repeatedly going up and down stairs or carrying heavy objects. It also protects workers from back injuries that can occur while lifting.

The district has allocated a budget of approximately 16 million won in the first supplementary budget for this year to introduce the "wearable robots."

If the supplementary budget is approved, the district plans to purchase four walking-assist robots and four back-support robots. The initial distribution will be prioritized for environmental officers responsible for street cleaning and large waste disposal.

Afterward, the district will conduct a satisfaction survey among the employees who use the devices and will consider expanding the equipment supply based on the survey results.

Mayor Oh Unseok of Dobong-gu said, "We decided to expedite the introduction of 'wearable robots' to support environmental officers who suffer from knee or back injuries due to long-term service," and added, "We will continue to do our best to provide support for the environmental officers who work hard to maintain a pleasant environment in our community."