Find the right exoskeleton for your operation

Passive exoskeletons use mechanical springs or elastic elements to store and return energy — no battery required, lightweight, low maintenance. Active exoskeletons use electric motors and sensors to actively assist movement, delivering higher support levels and adaptability, but require charging and are heavier. Soft suits use flexible textiles and cables to guide movement with minimal rigidity. The right choice depends on your use case, load weight, shift duration and EPT environment.

There are around 15 active manufacturers in the European market. Each tends to lead in a specific technology or use-case segment — passive support for logistics, active assistance for heavier industrial tasks, soft suits for dynamic or confined environments. Rather than ranking brands, Ryggo lists devices on merit and matches them to your operation. The right brand is the one that fits your specific use case.

Purchase prices range from around €1,000 for entry-level soft suits to €10,000 or more for advanced active exoskeletons — for both back and shoulder devices. Passive devices typically fall in the €2,000–€5,000 range. The right budget depends on the support level required and the number of units. Ryggo shows transparent pricing for every listed device — no hidden costs, no sales calls required to get a number.

Yes — and you should. Around 80% of buyers request a test period even after a successful demo. Ryggo's Deploy & Decide programme gives you a structured evaluation: devices are deployed to your team for a defined period, with a clear return option if the device isn't the right fit. No open-ended commitment, no pressure to buy.

Pilot costs through Ryggo depend on the number of units, the duration of the evaluation and the device. The evaluation fee is transparently calculated — you see the full cost before committing. If the pilot leads to a purchase, the evaluation fee is offset against the order. Use the Ryggo Advisor to get a recommendation and a full cost overview for your operation.

A back exoskeleton is a wearable support device that reduces the physical load on the lower back during repetitive or heavy tasks. It works by transferring force away from the spine — either through mechanical springs (passive), powered actuators (active), or flexible textile structures (soft suits). Workers wear the device during their shift; it activates automatically during bending, lifting or carrying movements.

The right device depends on several factors: the dominant movement (bending, lifting, carrying), load weight and frequency, work environment (indoor/outdoor, EPT areas), shift duration and team size. The Ryggo Advisor asks you exactly these questions and matches your operation to the most suitable devices — with transparent reasoning, not a black-box result.

Many operations involve bending, lifting, lowering, or prolonged forward leaning — but that alone doesn't make a strong use-case. Workers may do these movements briefly, in confined spaces, or while stepping on and off an EPT. Context matters.

Three criteria all need to be met for a back exoskeleton to have a good chance of user acceptance:

Weight — a meaningful load is required. From around 4–5 kg upwards; many use-cases involve 15–20 kg or more.

Movement — the body must move through the task. Transferring a heavy load without bending or dynamic motion triggers little support — particularly from active devices.

Frequency — repetition is what makes support felt. A worker lifting 20 kg five times an hour may notice some benefit, but low frequency puts acceptance at risk. At that level, other lifting aids may be worth considering alongside.

When all three align — load, movement, and frequency — the use-case is strong and acceptance tends to follow.

A shoulder exoskeleton is a wearable support device — worn like a backpack — that offloads the weight of raised arms to the hips or waist. It is designed for one specific class of task: working with arms at or above shoulder height for extended or repetitive periods. Overhead assembly, ceiling installation, painting, high-shelf picking. If your team regularly works arms-up for more than a few hours per shift, a shoulder exo is worth evaluating.

This is the most common concern — and the honest answer depends on fit and task type. Well-matched passive shoulder exos add minimal bulk and don't restrict arm movement in the working range. The risk increases if the device is used for tasks it wasn't designed for, or if sizing is off. Acceptance rates vary more for shoulder exos than back exos, which is exactly why a structured trial on your own floor matters before committing.

Fixed arm supports and tool balancers are mounted to a workstation — the worker moves around them. A shoulder exoskeleton moves with the worker, supporting the arm throughout the shift regardless of position. This makes it suitable for mobile tasks and multi-position work where a station-fixed solution isn't practical.