WearRAcon EUROPE CONFERENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A+A 2023

   With the title “People Matter” A+A 2023, the World’s No. 1 Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work, will focus on the most important trends of our time: sustainability and digitalization. Ergonomics tools of the future such as exoskeletons are a crucial topic. An important conference in this field is WearRAcon Europe which will be held at A+A from October 25 – 26, 2023 for the first time. A+A will take place from October 24 -27, 2023 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

   The Conference will be organized by the Fraunhofer Institute IPA in cooperation with the Stuttgart University and the Wearable Robotics Association (WearRA). The 38th A+A Congress, which is organized by Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit (German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health - Basi) will be closely linked with the WearRAcon Europe conference in terms of thematic content.

   Being able to walk again despite a serious injury, handle heavy parts without outside help or simply do overhead work comfortably and for extended periods of time - the advantages of exoskeletons have already convinced numerous industries. Exoskeletons and wearables are now already being used successfully in industry and commerce, and major machine builders and car manufacturers as well as the medical sector are continuing to experiment with man-machine connections. Currently, the global market volume for exoskeletons is valued by leading analysts at over US$20 billion by 2030.*1

   “As an ergonomic aid to ease the burden of physically demanding work, exoskeletons are an increasingly important component of modern occupational safety and health and thus a current and also forward-looking topic that could hardly be in better hands than at the world’s largest trade fair for occupational safety and health,” explained Dr Urs Schneider, Head of Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation.

   “Basi's 38th International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine will complement the WearRAcon Conference with such aspects as the selection and safe operational use of modern exoskeletons and wearables. It offers all attendees, company stakeholders, consulting specialists and occupational physicians as well as decision-makers a professional, high-quality and innovative knowledge platform for sustainable prevention in companies,” added Dr. Christian Felten, Managing Director of BASI.  

   The WearRAcon Europe Conference 2023 will provide new insights into the promising world of exoskeleton systems from different perspectives and, in conjunction with the A+A Congress, set future-oriented impulses. It thus offers the ideal framework for scientific and industry-focused dialogue. Lectures by renowned exoskeleton pioneers combined with testimonials presented by users from a variety of industries and keynotes by experts will round off the high-caliber program. Prof. Dr. Thomas Alexander of the Federal Agency of Occupation Safety (BAuA) will report on the future of work.

   The Conference will be complemented by a wide variety of products and solutions on display at the trade fair and two other exciting areas in the ExoPark: as at the previous A+A, a Self-Experience Space will again be set up so that the exoskeleton systems of various manufacturers can be tested in realistic work scenarios. In parallel with the Self-Experience Space, the large live study Exoworkathlon will also take place again. Trainees from various mechatronic training courses have to complete a concourse and perform holding, lifting and assembling tasks, which have been specially developed with the industry. Data is prospectively collected using different measuring sensors to measure the effects of exoskeletons. In the Exoworkathlon, the IPA focuses especially on prevention for young employees in order to raise awareness of the issue and counteract ailments at an early stage.

   “The market for exoskeletons is developing very dynamically. Not only large companies but also more and more SMEs use this technology successfully. This is why the cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA is of strategic importance to us,” stated Lars Wismer, Project Director, A+A.

1 (Interview Trans.INFO with Armin G. Schmidt, CEO of German Bionic (01/2021).

   For more information about WearRAcon Europe:  https://www.wearraconeurope.de/en/wearracon-Europe.html
 

   For more information about Exoworkathlon:

https://www.exoworkathlon.de/en/about-exoworkathlon.html

   For more information about the A+A Congress: https://www.basi.de/home/

   For further information on visiting or exhibiting at A+A 2023, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.aplusa-online.com and www.boot.com and www.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago

   For hotel and travel information, contact TTI Travel, Inc. at (866) 674-3476; Fax: (212) 674-3477; E-mail: info@ttitravel.net; www.ttitravel.net