In Episode 27 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, Bobby Marinov and Professor Tom Sugar are joined by Greg Galarneau, founder of The Exoskeleton Store, for a grounded discussion on the real-world state of occupational exoskeletons in North America. Drawing from direct customer experience, Greg explains what drives adoption, where projects go wrong, how companies evaluate risk, and why successful exoskeleton implementation depends on fit, expectations, and measurable value. The result is a practical snapshot of where the industry stands today and where it may be heading next. This episode feels less like a theory discussion and more like a mini market report from the front lines of occupational exoskeleton integration, implementation, and growth.

YouTube version:

Main Topics: 00:00 Introduction to Episode 27 and Gregory Galarneau of The Exoskeleton Store 02:23 How Gregory Galarneau got into occupational exoskeletons from industrial automation 04:46 The first customer story that changed the mission of The Exoskeleton Store 08:30 Why exoskeletons need to be tried before they are bought 13:05 Why exoskeleton implementation is different from traditional automation 16:37 A successful exoskeleton rollout: trial, buy-in, and safety award 24:54 Cautionary tales: why some exoskeleton projects fail 28:32 Hunting elephants vs. helping small businesses adopt exoskeletons 32:54 Culture, Japan and Europe, and why North America may be adopting more slowly 55:39 Where the industrial exoskeleton market is heading in the next 5 to 10 years

For more, see: The Exoskeleton Store: https://www.theexoskeletonstore.com

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