New manufacturing technology should do more than just increase output, efficiency and quality. It should also improve the working conditions and health of the employees.

There are good and bad aspects to repetition. On one hand, it's a proven way to learn to expertly perform a task. On the other, it can lead to physical problems like carpal tunnel syndrome, and bad arthritis in the hands, arms, legs and back.

Electric vehicles may be all the rage now among automotive manufacturers, but golf car makers have been using the technology since the early 1950s.

On some assembly lines, today's MVP is a robotic tool that was originally developed for use on the battlefield. It's called an exoskeleton. The wearable device enables operators to perform a variety of overhead tasks. It minimizes physical strain and boosts efficiency.

WAYNE, MI—Workers at Ford’s assembly plant here are testing a new exoskeleton technology that promises to reduce fatigue and the risk of injury.

NEW YORK—Approximately 3.7 million workers are injured at work each year, costing businesses $170 billion annually. Injuries caused during material handling represent the majority of incidents, accounting for 32 percent of insurance claims.

WASHINGTON—Workplace injuries and accidents that cause employees to miss six or more days of work cost U.S. employers nearly $62 billion in 2013, according to the 2016 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.

ANN ARBOR, MI—The return-on-investment of a site ergonomics program can exceed three times the investment, according to a new study from consulting firm Humantech Inc.

ANN ARBOR, MI—Humantech is conducting a survey on the use of computer technology for managing ergonomics programs. This online, confidential survey consists of 16 questions and is open to any company with an established ergonomics program.

DEARBORN, MI—Engineers at Ford Motor Co. have created virtual representations of employees— called “avatars”—to assess whether articulating arms and other ergonomic aids could help with assembly.