Adoption of Wearable Exoskeletons for Worker Safety in the U.S. Construction Industry: A Scoping Review of Drivers and Barriers

While the construction industry has embraced the adoption of wearable technology, the level of adoption of wearable exoskeletons in the US construction industry is limited and in the infancy stage. The user acceptance and implementation of wearable technology have been influenced by several factors among others. A sizable number of studies have been carried out on the adoption of wearable exoskeletons in the US construction industry but there is a need to identify the impacting factors on the technology implementation. Considering the new area of the application of exoskeletons in the construction industry, a scoping review is conducted to identify the drivers and barriers to the implementation and use of exoskeletons in the US construction industry. The findings of the study showed that drivers such as reduction of fatigue, safety and health awareness, and future standard equipment have the potential to improve exoskeleton adoption in the US construction industry while cost constraints, discomfort, privacy issues, and resistance to change are significant barriers identified. The review provides checklists of actionable steps towards increased adoption of exoskeletons and guidelines for policymakers, contractors, and safety managers on the drivers and barriers in order to make informed decisions on exoskeleton adoption in the US construction industry.