Episode Description
In Episode 27 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, we sit down with Gregory Galarneau of The Exoskeleton Store for a grounded discussion on what occupational exoskeleton adoption actually looks like in the field. Rather than staying at the level of theory, this episode digs into how Gregory entered the space through industrial automation, why he saw exoskeletons as a practical answer for tasks that could not easily be automated, and how The Exoskeleton Store grew into a major North American distributor focused on matching real workplace problems with real wearable solutions.
The conversation then moves into the realities of implementation: why exoskeletons often need a “try before you buy” approach, how worker feedback can make or break adoption, and why success depends on much more than just a product spec sheet. Gregory shares lessons from customer trials, the personal nature of body-worn technology, and the differences between top-down deployments and demand driven by real worker need. By the end, the episode becomes something close to a field report on the current occupational exoskeleton market, including where adoption is working, where it stalls, and what trends may shape the next phase of growth.
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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
04:46The 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
24:54Cautionary 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