Musculoskeletal disorders are a common occupational disease in the E.U. and North America and are one of the most common causes for long-term absence from work. Wearables — clothing enhanced through technology — offer an approach for reducing these injuries. Ironhand (photo), developed by the Swedish company Bioservo Technologies, is a soft robotic glove that strengthens the human grip with help of this company’s patented SEM technology. The gripping force support of the individual fingers is made possible with this company’s drives. The glove is available in four different sizes and can be worn by left- and right-handed users. The battery pack, which is worn like a backpack, contains both a computer unit, as well as the motors that control the individual fingers. Users can preset various profiles that contain different combinations of sensor sensitivity, force, finger symmetry and locking tendency. To control the individual fingers, d.c.-micromotors with graphite commutation of the 1741 CXR series in the Ironhand is used. — Faulhaber Micromo LLC, Clearwater, Fla.