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A backboard was utilized in this final prototype to provide a fixed ground that would allow the mounting of a motor, controller and batteries (See Figure 2). When first testing the exoskeleton, the mechanism's shoulder joint did not line up with the user's shoulder joint. This caused the user discomfort and restricted the full motion of the exoskeleton. To fix this problem, extended wooden blocks were placed near the top middle of the backboard to raise the shoulder joint and align it with the user's joint (See Figure 1). The user was then able to move more comfortably with the exoskeleton with all the weight placed on the user's shoulders. Shoulder and waist straps were used to attach the user onto the backboard. No weight was distributed on the straps.
Figure 2. Back view of backboard.