02/18/2026: Boeing Exoskeleton Iterations - Succeed, Fail, Learn, Sustain

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Boeing Exoskeleton Iterations - Succeed, Fail, Learn, Sustain

About the webinar:

The journey to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders/injuries (MSDs) at Boeing is no different than many organizations in labor intensive manufacturing. While there are several different ergonomics-based mitigation approaches, one approach known as industrial exoskeletons, is still being evaluated as a potential for helping contain these types of hazards. Dr. Reid will touch on the Boeing exoskeleton technology journey spanning from 2012 to present and highlight insights and lessons learned, as the company continues to iteratively improve on ways to help sustain use of the technology in its workplace.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

Evaluate the human centered design concepts of technologies for their intended uses, human users, and support personnel
Discuss technology qualification, deployment, and sustainment methods for choosing appropriate exoskeletons
Discuss how to share technology burdens and lessons learned through external technical collaborations

Speaker: Christopher Reid, PhD

Dr. Christopher Reid is a Senior Technical Fellow and Boeing Designated Expert for Human Factors & Ergonomics and wearable technology. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, he’s an Executive Fellow in Boeing’s Human Factors Functional Chief Engineer’s Office, supporting Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and Production Systems. He is an Adjunct Professor of Practice at Clemson University’s Industrial Engineering Department. Prior to Boeing, he worked for Lockheed Martin as a Human Factors & Ergonomics Discipline Lead at NASA Johnson Space Center and as a Human Factors Engineer for the US Army Natick Labs. Externally, he’s an industry advisor and volunteer for multiple technical organizations such as the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES), ASTM International, the National Academies' Board on Human Systems Integration, and the National Safety Council (NSC). He is a 2023 Fellow and Past President of HFES. He is a recipient of the 2018 Rising Star Award from the NSC, the 2020 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry, and the 2023 HFES Arnold M. Small & Betty M. Sanders President’s Distinguished Service Award. He received a Ph.D., and M.S., in Industrial Engineering - Human Engineering & Ergonomics Focus and B.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology from the University of Central Florida.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Certificates of Completion

Certificates of Completion will be available to webinar participants who are present for the complete, live webinar, and logged in with their registered email address. Call-in attendees are not eligible for certificates at this time - Please download the Zoom app to log in via email on your smartphone whenever possible.

In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

If you're not able to attend the live presentation, no problem! We record most presentations and will host them on our website provided we have permission to do so. Presentation recordings are not eligible for Certificates of Completion.

About The Northern California Education and Research Center

The goal of the Northern California ERC, a consortium of programs at the University of California’s Center of Occupational and Environmental Health, is to train professionals as practitioner and research leaders in occupational safety and health by offering graduate degrees, residency training, clinical experiences, and research mentorship to trainees. The aim of the ERC is to provide a broad, multidisciplinary educational experience involving student and faculty collaborations in the classroom, laboratory, and field. Through academic training, research, and community service projects, our faculty and trainees address ongoing and emerging challenges facing US Workers. Activities are grounded in multi-campus, interactive teaching programs that translate knowledge into information that can be used to improve worker safety and health.

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Will Bellamy at (510) 642-8365 or wbellamy@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.