ExoAccept: a holistic instrument to assess factors influencing acceptance of occupational exoskeletons

Abstract

Even though many occupational exoskeletons exist, their adoption is still low. It is important to study which factors encourage adoption, such that appropriate measures can be taken, either by improving the design of occupational exoskeletons or by taking organizational measures such as setting company specific policies regarding the use of these devices. Although various questionnaires have been used to study the acceptance of occupational exoskeletons, these questionnaires either have a limited scope or are very extensive. The goal of this research was to develop a pragmatic and holistic instrument to assess the acceptance of occupational exoskeletons. The instrument is based on empirical data, survey data of 155 respondents, includes concepts from theory, and it is based on an existing framework of exoskeleton acceptance. Using a systematic approach based on exploratory factor analysis with survey data, 33 items were selected for the instrument representing 24 concepts. The ExoAccept instrument can be used by practitioners working with and/or in companies but also by researchers interested in evaluating subjective factors related to the acceptance of occupational exoskeletons.