An investigation of smart exoskeletons systems for IPD in industry 5.0

Abstract

This study investigates how smart exoskeleton systems can be developed through an Integrated Product Development (IPD) approach to meet the human-centric, sustainable, and resilient objectives of Industry 5.0. While significant progress has been made in industrial automation, numerous tasks remain that require human dexterity, judgement, and adaptability; factors that continue to resist full automation. Smart exoskeletons present a compelling opportunity to support such tasks, particularly when integrated with digital manufacturing systems (DMS) such as ERP, MES, CMMS, and DWIs. Through a combined state-of-the-art review and eight semi-structured interviews with industry professionals, key opportunity areas were identified across two case studies: precision toolroom maintenance and food production. These insights informed the development of the IPDEXO framework, a structured roadmap that guides the adoption of smart exoskeletons across the three IPD pillars: business, engineering design, and production. An economic feasibility study, a generic QFD analysis, and IDEF0 process modelling were conducted to define the physical, cognitive, and system-integration requirements of the proposed system. The study culminates in the conceptual design and digital proof of concept of a modular smart exoskeleton platform, capable of real-time data exchange and ergonomic augmentation. The refined IPDEXO framework demonstrates how exoskeleton adoption can be aligned with strategic business goals, ergonomic design needs, and digitally connected production workflows. In doing so, this research proposes a scalable, IPD-informed framework for embedding human-centric technologies within Industry 5.0 manufacturing environments.