Introduced “Muscle Suit Every,” a power-free assistive suit, to save labor in agricultural work.

【 Summary 】

Mr. Tobita, a farmer, has suffered from back pain for many years. Along with this problem, as a family farmer, he was concerned that if he were to miss a long period of work due to injury or health problems, he would immediately lose his source of income. Therefore, they introduced a muscle suit to reduce the load on their backs and save labor.
A major point in introducing the system was that it did not require a large investment in equipment and could be used to improve the environment relatively easily. In addition, the absolute prerequisites for use in agricultural work were that the suits be safe from water and dust and that they are easy to maintain. Electric power-assisted suits are inevitably tied to operating hours, and there is an undeniable concern that they are prone to breakage. In this respect, the muscle suit was appealing. It was waterproof and dustproof, lightweight because it was powered by air rather than electricity, and convenient because it could be put on and taken off in about 30 seconds.
During harvest, sweet potatoes harvested in the fields are put into harvest containers or cases, loaded onto trucks, and unloaded at warehouses. Each container weighs about 30 kg; during the busy season, these containers are sometimes raised and lowered a total of 400 times a day.
After the introduction of muscle suits, the load on his back was reduced and the work became labor-saving, so he no longer suffers from worsening back pain because of long periods of work. As a result, he has resumed processing dried potatoes, which had been suspended for a while, and his income has become more stable.