Passive lower-limb exoskeletons in industry: A review of “Chairless Chairs” for reducing fatigue and musculoskeletal strain

Elisha Claret Wilson Dass; Karmegam Karuppiah; Ayuni Nabilah Alias; Murugadas Ramdas; Nina Fatma Ali; Hassan Sadeghi Naeini

doi:10.2478/bhk-2026-0015

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Passive lower-limb exoskeletons in industry: A review of “Chairless Chairs” for reducing fatigue and musculoskeletal strain

Biomedical Human Kinetics

Volume 18 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)

By: Elisha Claret Wilson Dass , Karmegam Karuppiah , Ayuni Nabilah Alias , Murugadas Ramdas , Nina Fatma Ali and Hassan Sadeghi Naeini

Open Access

|May 2026

Abstract

Study aim

The aim of this systematic review is to categorize and evaluate lower-limb exoskeletons, including commercial and research-based models, to identify the most effective designs for alleviating musculoskeletal strain and fatigue in industrial settings.

Material and methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus yielded 87 studies; 17 of these met the inclusion criteria (published within the last 10 years in the English language and available as a full text). Data on exoskeleton type, design, and performance outcomes were extracted.

Results

Passive exoskeletons, particularly “chairless chairs,” such as NOONEE and LegX, were the most effective, reducing lower-limb strain by up to 64 and 56%, respectively. Research prototypes demonstrated similar outcomes, with some achieving 83% reduction in muscle activity. Reported benefits included lower perceived discomfort, improved usability, and reduced contact pressure.

Conclusion

Passive lower-limb exoskeletons are a feasible and effective ergonomic intervention for tasks involving prolonged standing in industrial settings. Their portability, ease of use, and capacity to reduce muscular load make them especially suitable for widespread adoption in the workplace. Future research should evaluate long-term health, safety, and productivity outcomes in real-world industrial environments.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bhk-2026-0015 | Journal eISSN: 2080-2234

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Language: English

Page range: 192 - 201

Submitted on: Jan 16, 2026

Accepted on: May 5, 2026

Published on: May 21, 2026

Published by: University of Physical Education in Warsaw

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

Keywords:

Chairless Chair,

Discomfort,

Ergonomics,

Lower-limb Exoskeleton,

Prolonged Standing

Related subjects:

Medicine,

Basic medical science,

Basic medical science, other,

Clinical medicine,

Public health,

Sports and recreation,

Sports and recreation, other,

Physical education

© 2026 Elisha Claret Wilson Dass, Karmegam Karuppiah, Ayuni Nabilah Alias, Murugadas Ramdas, Nina Fatma Ali, Hassan Sadeghi Naeini, published by University of Physical Education in Warsaw
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 18 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)