Bionic Shoulders
Festool's ExoActive supports arms in the raised position for a long time, which makes working on ceilings and other high surfaces less tiresome.
The new Festool ExoActive was created to help those who spend a good chunk of their day working on high or overhead surfaces. Working with your arms elevated for extended periods of time is hard on the shoulders. That’s why drywall installers and finishers and painters experience a higher occurrence of shoulder tendinitis, shoulder impingement syndrome, and rotator-cuff tears.
The ExoActive is not intended to assist in lifting heavy things; rather, it’s designed to support your arms in the raised position for long periods of time. The unit has three range-of-motion settings. Using a controller, you can instruct it to help out from the waist up, the shoulders up, or just when you’re reaching way overhead.
Pounds of Support
You can also adjust the amount of support, up to 11 lb. per arm. Using a phone app gives you more-advanced settings, such as adjusting each arm’s individual parameters. There is also a pause mode that will remove the tension when you’re mixing mud, taking a break, or doing any other task where support is not needed.
The ExoActive is pneumatically powered and has a bladder that stores the air. Standard 18v Festool batteries power the unit, and the manufacturer claims that a 4-Ah battery will last a full work day. The 15-lb. ExoActive slides on and is secured with straps like a backpack.
The padded areas are made of breathable and washable mesh fabric, and the headrest is available in two sizes: a taller one for working on walls and a shorter one for working on ceilings. The ExoActive costs $3500, and you can find the select dealers that carry it by using Festool’s dealer locator at festoolusa.com. The price includes two 4-Ah batteries and a charger. Cape sold separately.
— Mark Petersen; tech editor. Photo courtesy of the manufacturer.
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