Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport is breaking new ground in ergonomic workplace design: The company is the first airport in Germany to use exoskeleton technology for loading and unloading aircraft in regular operation. GATE, the association of airport suppliers, provided the impetus for a six-week pilot phase with the IX BACK AIR back exoskeleton. The "SUITX by Ottobock" system has now been successfully integrated into everyday work. The deployment site is in the belly of the aircraft – a cramped area where employees need to efficiently stack and load luggage. The exoskeleton specifically supports the back and joints here by reducing load peaks and promoting a natural body posture.

Markus Dransmann, Operations Manager of Westphalian Ground Services GmbH at Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport, reports on his experiences with the innovation, "I was positively surprised even the first time I wore it, because the relief was immediately noticeable. The exoskeleton provides tremendous support for my back during lifting – especially when I’m playing ‘suitcase tetris’ in the belly of the aeroplane. It is comfortable to wear and surprisingly light. It’s a great solution for my back – and an investment in my future."

Innovation for healthier work

Loading luggage at airports is physically demanding: Each piece of luggage is moved manually up to six times, often under difficult conditions such as in confined spaces. Automation technologies such as baggage transport belts make handling easier, but there is no fully automated solution in the hold of aircraft. This is where workers, with their experience and flexibility, remain indispensable.

Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport is setting a new standard for ergonomic workplaces with the exoskeleton in regular operation. The technology provides targeted relief for muscles and joints, reduces back pain and prevents long-term health damage. "Our goal is to provide our employees with the best possible support and protect their health over the long term. Exoskeletons can make hard physical work considerably easier and thus be an important step towards better working conditions. We are delighted that we are using this technology as a pioneer in our innovation airport," explains Roland Hüser, managing director of Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport.

Pilot project as a role model for the industry

Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport implemented the pilot project together with the market leader for industrial exoskeletons – SUITX by Ottobock – in October and November 2024. The cooperation was initiated and supported by the GATE network, in which more than 100 companies deal with innovative and integrated airport technologies.

The six-week pilot project focused on sensor measurements to collect objective data and a survey of four participants on their subjective impressions. Using the IX BACK AIR exoskeleton, employees were able to transfer intervertebral disc compression in the lumbar spine from the predominantly critical area (87 % red, 12 % yellow) to a mostly moderate stress zone (22 % red, 71 % yellow). The maximum load was demonstrably reduced by 12 percent.

‘Using an exoskeleton reduces critical load zones and therefore reduces the risk of injuries, for example, due to a herniated disc,’ says David Duwe, Vice President SUITX by Ottobock Europe. At around 3 kg, the IX BACK AIR is especially lightweight and can be put on and taken off in less than 20 seconds. It works according to a biomechanical principle by redirecting forces in the body, temporarily storing them and releasing them again in a targeted manner. By using the body's own energy, the exoskeleton can be worn all day without the need for batteries. ‘With these features, exoskeletons are a key to meeting current challenges in aviation, industry and logistics. The technology helps recruit and, above all, retain qualified employees,’ Duwe adds.

Cooperation for sustainable innovations

The project serves as a reference for the entire aviation industry. The close cross-linking of industry and airports through GATE contributes to the further development of efficient and sustainable solutions for aviation. Kevin Fischer, Head of Innovation Management at the network, emphasises the importance of the collaboration: ‘The cooperation between GATE, SUITX by Ottobock and Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport is an outstanding example of how we as an association not only promote innovations but actively put them into practice.’ GATE specifically promotes such partnerships in order to test innovations in practice and help companies adapt their technologies to the special challenges of airport operations.

About Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport and PAD Innovation Airport
Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport is a successful regional airport in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with more than 800,000 passengers in 2024. It is a central transport hub for the regions of East Westphalia, South Westphalia and Lippe, which are characterised by many (market-leading) medium-sized companies. As a fully equipped commercial airport, it has state-of-the-art technologies and, unlike major airports, offers a wide range of opportunities for developing and testing innovations. These activities are grouped together in the innovation airport PAD (www.innovationsflughafen.de).

About GATE
GATE is the world’s leading network for airport technologies, bringing together more than 100 companies offering innovative and integrated solutions. For over 30 years, GATE has been a catalyst for business development and product innovation, influencing the global aviation industry and driving technological advancement in airport operations. The member companies provide state-of-the-art technologies and solutions that help airport operators meet the challenges of the industry. These include reducing CO₂ emissions, reducing waiting times, optimising baggage management, improving safety standards and digital transformation. www.gate-alliance.com

About “SUITX by Ottobock”
Since 2012, SUITX has been developing support structures worn on the body, known as exoskeletons, to make everyday working life easier for physically labouring people. SUITX emerged from the Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. At the end of 2021, the Ottobock medical technology company and SUITX joined forces to develop pioneering exoskeletons as “SUITX by Ottobock”. Highly efficient and very light, these exoskeletons prevent musculoskeletal disorders caused by heavy physical labour. www.suitx.com.