A modular approach for incorporating mechanistic actuation to manual tasks

A device has been conceived to move goods up and down stairwells with minimal human effort where there is no preexisting infrastructure. This problem stems from the difficulties associated with navigating stairs carrying heavy loads. Furthermore, stringent "occupational health and safety" standards require equipment to assist in the movement of heavy or cumbersome loads to reduce risk of physical injury. The conceptual prototype reported in this paper incorporates a novel, modular approach to its design and recognized ergonomic and human factors issues associated with the man-machine interface, affordable manufacture and a suitable duty cycle between power-pack recharge.