SoftExo Lift
HUNIC · Germany
Passive textile exoskeleton: leg elastomers store energy as you bend and give it back as you straighten up.
The SoftExo Lift (current version: Lift 6) is a soft back-support exoskeleton from HUNIC for repeated lifting and bending. Elastomer straps on each leg are tensioned when the wearer bends or squats and release that energy on straightening up, while a back splint guides the spine and knee modules spread the load below the calf. It has no motor or battery, weighs 1.39 kg and is washable at 40 °C.
- Weight (manual)
- 1.39 kg
- Wearer weight, two sizes
- 60–140 kg
- Operating temperature
- −15 to 40 °C
- German shop price, ex VAT
- EUR 2,900
- Model
- Lift 6
- Written from
- hunic.com
- Information as of
- Local partner
- Not in public info
At a glance
Reduces
Lower-back strain from repeated lifting and bending
Suitable for
Repeated lifting, bending forward or holding loads, such as palletising and repacking, loading and unloading containers or trucks, and work near the floor or below hip height (maker's FAQ). The manual allows use outdoors, in roofed or closed rooms, underground and on, under or in water, at −15 to 40 °C.
Not suitable for
The maker's limits: it does not let anyone lift or carry more than they could without it; it is for healthy wearers only and must not be used as fall protection; it is not PPE (89/686/EEC) or a medical device (93/42/EEC). People with hernias, hip or knee replacements, knee injuries, slipped discs, spinal disorders or hyperextending knees should consult a doctor first. Operating range −15 to 40 °C; not to be used when damaged. Strap tension can restrict reflex movements.
The maker's warnings (11)01 · How it works
How a bend is turned into lifting help
The Lift 6 is a spring system worn on the body; it needs no motor, battery, power supply or IT connection. During each lift the work is shared between the elastomers, the back splint, the waist belt and the knee modules.
01Bend or squat
As the wearer bends over or squats into a knee bend, the elastomer straps that run from the waist down each leg to the knee modules are stretched and store energy.
02The back splint follows the spine
A splint between the shoulder module and the waist belt slides to follow the changing length of the back and guides the spine. The maker says it also steers the trunk back from strong twisting.
03Waist belt and knee modules take the load
The waist belt stabilises the lower back and passes the force to the pelvis. The knee modules sit around the kneecaps and spread forces below the calf, so the thighs are not squeezed and trouser pockets stay usable.
04Straighten up
When the wearer straightens up or rises from the squat, the elastomers release the stored energy as a force that helps lift the trunk and stand up.
- 05
Switch off for stairs and sitting
Closing the elastomer buckle activates the support and opening it deactivates it. For stairs or sitting, the adjusters on the elastomers can be moved to slacken them.
02 · SoftExo range
Where the Lift sits in the SoftExo range
HUNIC sells four passive models in the same two body-weight sizes. The Lift is the one with leg elastomers and knee modules, aimed at lifting and bending, including from near the floor.
SoftExo Lift
- Intended work (maker)
- Lifting and bending, including from near the floor; logistics, production, landscaping
- Weight
- 1.2–1.4 kg
- German shop price, ex VAT
- EUR 2,900
SoftExo Hold
- Intended work (maker)
- Frequent forward bending, standing work and awkward postures; limits twisting
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- German shop price, ex VAT
- EUR 1,950
SoftExo Carry
- Intended work (maker)
- Carrying loads; ErgoPatches pass up to 25 kg per side to the hips
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- German shop price, ex VAT
- EUR 490
CareExo Lift
- Intended work (maker)
- Repositioning and mobilising patients in care; washable and disinfectable
- Weight
- 1.4 kg
- German shop price, ex VAT
- Not listed
Weights and uses from hunic.com/produkte; prices per unit from hunic.com/kaufen on 2026-10-11, excluding VAT and shipping, for business customers only. KneePatch knee pads for kneeling work are offered as a Lift accessory.
03 · Evidence
Where the maker's percentages come from
The product page claims up to 30% relief for the back extensors, 20% for the lumbar spine and 9% for the knees, citing the first study below. These are the studies HUNIC points to, and what each measured.
Biomechanical body heat map (2026)
- Who, where published
- Fraunhofer IPA with the University of Stuttgart, OTH Regensburg and imk; Applied Ergonomics vol. 132, peer-reviewed, open access
- What was measured
- Musculoskeletal models of four test subjects moving boxes; preliminary EMG check on four male workers; one soft and one rigid-frame exoskeleton
- Result for the Lift
- As quoted by the maker: 28–31% lower back-muscle activity and 575–870 N less L4/L5 compression with 5–15 kg boxes
Five back exoskeletons compared (2023)
- Who, where published
- University of Innsbruck and Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg; Wearable Technologies vol. 4, e12, open access
- What was measured
- 12 healthy students lifted, carried and lowered a 13 kg box; surface EMG and motion capture
- Result for the Lift
- Lifting from the floor: about 20% less erector spinae and 18% less latissimus activity, 9.3° less trunk flexion; the lift took 13% longer
DRKS00036623 (2025)
- Who, where published
- Leipzig University, sports medicine; German Clinical Trials Register
- What was measured
- Repetitive lifting at 10–20% of body weight without an exoskeleton, with Laevo Flex V3.0 and with the SoftExo Lift; 26 participants planned
- Result for the Lift
- Registered as complete in August 2025; the register lists no results or publication, so the maker's figures for it could not be traced
HUNIC's summary page gives 10 participants and volume 124 for the 2026 paper, while the published abstract describes four subjects and the journal lists volume 132. On the product page itself, the shear-force figure is labelled as unconfirmed, and the page description claims up to 50% less lumbar load.
04 · Specifications
Lift 6 specifications and terms
Construction
- Type
- Passive textile back-support exoskeleton on a spring principle; no motor, battery or external energy source
- Main parts
- Shoulder module with shoulder cord, back splint, waist belt, elastomer straps with buckle, knee modules with shin adjusters and calf straps
- On and off
- Elastomer buckle activates and deactivates the support; elastomer adjusters slacken it for stairs and sitting
- Materials
- Polyethylene, polyamide, elastane, polyoxymethylene, rubber
- Made in
- Germany
Size and fit
- Sizes
- Size 1: 60–90 kg body weight; size 2: 80–140 kg
- Weight
- 1.39 kg (manual); 1.2–1.4 kg (product page)
- Adjustment
- Back width, shoulder cord, waist-belt circumference, knee width and shin length; fitted to each user by HUNIC staff
- Fit check
- One unloaded squat before use
Conditions of use
- Places
- Outdoors without weather protection, roofed and closed rooms, underground, on, under and in water
- Temperature
- −15 to 40 °C
- Humidity
- Up to 100% relative humidity
- Wearing time
- Build up from 2 to 4 and then up to 8 hours a day
Care and inspection
- Washing
- Textile parts or the whole unit at 40 °C in the supplied wash bag, fasteners closed, separately, with mild detergent
- Before each use
- Visual check for cuts or cracks; check the hook-and-loop fasteners
- Every two years
- Replace the elastomer belt
- Storage
- Dry and washed, on a hanger or in the wash bag in a ventilated place
- In the box
- Instructions, documents, wash bag
Conformity and purchase
- EU declaration
- Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, DIN 92419:2020-01, DIN EN 1005-1:2009-04 (dated 1 July 2023); UKCA declaration with the same references
- Not classed as
- PPE under 89/686/EEC; medical device under 93/42/EEC
- Price
- EUR 2,900 per unit excluding VAT and shipping (German shop, 2026-10-11); business customers only
- Warranty
- 1 year (Gewährleistung, per the shop)
05 · Videos
Fitting the Lift 6, and the Lift at work
Three short clips from HUNIC on the knee module, the back splint and the shoulder module, with English subtitles on screen, and a 2026 report from a car workshop in German.
SoftExo Lift 6 – knee module and the new elastomer
HUNIC SoftExo Exoskelette · 3:14 · German
Plays from YouTube once started. Open on YouTube
Series SoftExo Lift 6 – Shoulder Splint & Waist Belt
HUNIC SoftExo Exoskelette · 1:38 · German
Plays from YouTube once started. Open on YouTube
Series: SoftExo Lift 6 - Shoulder
HUNIC SoftExo Exoskelette · 1:55 · German
Plays from YouTube once started. Open on YouTube
Why does the world's oldest BMW dealer wear exoskeletons?
HUNIC SoftExo Exoskelette · 3:28 · German
Plays from YouTube once started. Open on YouTube
06 · Warnings
The maker's warnings and conditions of use
From the English section of the Lift 6 instruction manual. The quotes are copied exactly, including the maker's wording.
Our summary, then the maker's own words
It does not raise the load a worker can handle: never lift or carry more than the wearer could manage without it, or the musculoskeletal system may be harmed.
In the maker's words:
The system does not allow you to lift and carry heavier loads than the person can lift and carry without the system.
res.cloudinary.comFor healthy wearers only, and only as ergonomic support during lifting, holding and carrying.
In the maker's words:
The lifting system worn on the healthy human body is intended exclusively for the ergonomic support of the user during lifting, holding and carrying activities.
res.cloudinary.comIt must not be used as fall protection. The manual also states it is not personal protective equipment (89/686/EEC) or a medical device (93/42/EEC); the PPE the task requires must still be worn.
In the maker's words:
The system must not be used as fall protection or similar.
res.cloudinary.comWearers with hernias, hip or knee replacements, knee injuries, slipped discs, spinal disorders or hyperextending knees should consult a doctor before use.
In the maker's words:
If you have pre-existing physical conditions such as hernias, hip replacements, knee replacements, knee injuries, slipped discs, spinal disorders or hyperextension knees, we recommend that you consult a doctor before using the SoftExo Lift.
res.cloudinary.comThe tension of the straps can restrict the wearer's motor skills during reflex movements.
In the maker's words:
The tension in the ligaments can restrict the person‘s motor skills during reflex movements.
res.cloudinary.comBuild up wearing time gradually, from 2 to 4 and then up to 8 hours a day, starting with only slightly tensioned elastomers; slight muscle soreness is possible in the first days.
In the maker's words:
from 2 hours per day to 4 hours per day and up to 8 hours per day
res.cloudinary.comTighten the straps only so far that blood circulation is not affected, and check the fit with an unloaded squat before work.
In the maker's words:
Make sure that the straps are only tightened to the extent that they do not interfere with your blood circulation.
res.cloudinary.comWhen taking it off, always slacken the elastomers first; straps that come loose suddenly can cause injury.
In the maker's words:
The elastomers must always be loosened first. Otherwise, sudden loosening of the straps may result in injury.
res.cloudinary.comLoosened elastomers no longer lie flat against the body, which increases the risk of tripping.
In the maker's words:
As the elastomers loosen, they no longer lie flat against the user. There is an increased risk of tripping.
res.cloudinary.comCheck it before every use; it must not be used if deformed, cracked, cut or otherwise damaged.
In the maker's words:
The system must not be used if it is deformed, cracked, cut or otherwise damaged.
res.cloudinary.comRated for −15 to 40 °C and up to 100% relative humidity; the manual permits use outdoors, indoors, underground and on, under or in water.
In the maker's words:
Operating temperatures: -15°C to + 40°C
res.cloudinary.com
07 · FAQ
Questions the maker answers on its product page
Can we try the Lift before buying?
Yes. HUNIC runs a structured test phase in the real job: staff are trained and fitted, and use, acceptance and effect are observed before HUNIC recommends whether, and how widely, to use it.
From the maker's siteHow long does it take to get used to it?
A few days, with a gradual build-up over the first one to two weeks: short periods in demanding tasks first, then longer wear, reaching full shifts after about one to two weeks depending on the task.
From the maker's siteDoes it restrict movement?
Walking, turning and changing position remain possible. It acts mainly when bending deeply or lifting under load, guiding the body towards a more upright and less straining movement.
From the maker's siteCan workers take it off at any time?
Yes. It is not fixed to the body and needs no tools or help to remove, so it can come off for breaks or a change of task.
From the maker's siteWhat maintenance does it need?
Regular visual checks for wear or damage, cleaning suited to the environment and proper storage. There are no technical service intervals or calibration, and worn parts can be replaced individually.
From the maker's siteHow does it fit into our health and safety measures?
HUNIC calls it work equipment, not a medical device, that supplements technical and organisational measures such as workplace design, lifting aids and job rotation rather than replacing them. It should be included in the risk assessment and in worker instruction, which HUNIC offers to support.
From the maker's site08 · Sheet
Side by side, on the same sheet.
Every product in the catalog is described with the same fields, in the same order, so you can compare them side by side. What it reduces and where it fits are at the top of this page.
- Key specs
- Passive textile exoskeleton with no motor or battery; current version Lift 6. Elastomer straps on each leg are tensioned when the wearer bends or squats and release the energy on straightening up; a sliding back splint guides the spine, the waist belt passes force to the pelvis and knee modules spread the load below the calf. 1.39 kg (manual; product page 1.2–1.4 kg). Two sizes: 60–90 kg and 80–140 kg body weight. Washable at 40 °C in the wash bag. Up to 30% relief for the back extensors and 20% for the lumbar spine (maker's figures).
- Price conditions
- Not published for Japan. The maker's German online shop lists the SoftExo Lift at EUR 2,900 per unit (2026-10-11), excluding VAT and shipping; it sells to business customers only.
- Trial
- Not in public info
- Lead time
- Not in public info
- Service and repair
- 1-year warranty (Gewährleistung) stated on the maker's shop and product pages (maker's terms). Repairs are handled by HUNIC in Germany: the manual asks for the serial number on the back splint and a fault description with any returned unit, and lists replacing the elastomer belt every two years.
- Local partner
- Not in public info
- StandardsMaker's declaration
- EU declaration of conformity in the Lift 6 manual (dated 1 July 2023): Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, DIN 92419:2020-01 and DIN EN 1005-1:2009-04; a UKCA declaration cites the same. The manual states it is not PPE under 89/686/EEC and not a medical device under 93/42/EEC.
09 · Documents
Documents and links.
Official files and pages from HUNIC. Each opens on the maker's site.
- SoftExo Lift 6 instruction manual, with EU and UKCA declarationsUser manual · Several languages · PDF
- KneePatch instruction manual (knee pad accessory for the Lift 6)User manual · Several languages · PDF
- SoftExo Lift product pageWeb page · German · hunic.com
- SoftExo support and downloadsWeb page · German · hunic.com
- HUNIC online shop with pricesWeb page · German · hunic.com
- HUNIC's summary of the body heat map studyWeb page · German · hunic.com
- Applied Ergonomics paper: person-specific evaluation method for occupational exoskeletons (2026)Web page · English · doi.org
- Wearable Technologies paper: five back-support exoskeletons compared (2023)Web page · English · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10 · Maker
HUNIC
Germany
HUNIC GmbH develops and sells textile, motorless exoskeletons: SoftExo for logistics, industry and trades, and CareExo for care work. Founder Jonas Mast started the company in 2017 in Baiersbronn in the Black Forest, and it develops and produces in Baden-Württemberg. The SoftExo Lift won the IFOY Award 2023 as start-up of the year.
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Baiersbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Website
- hunic.com
Sources36
Read on . Each date below is the version we read: an archived copy's capture date, or a document's own date.
- HUNIC – SoftExo Lift product page (German; incl. FAQ, price, JSON-LD offer)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Products overview and model comparisonhunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Online shop (prices, net of VAT and shipping)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – SoftExo Hold product pagehunic.com ·
- HUNIC – SoftExo Carry product pagehunic.com ·
- HUNIC – CareExo Lift product pagehunic.com ·
- HUNIC – SoftExo Lift 6 instruction manual (PDF, DE/EN/PL/ES/FR/IT, with EU and UKCA declarations)res.cloudinary.com ·
- HUNIC – SoftExo/CareExo Lift V5 instruction manual (PDF, previous model)res.cloudinary.com ·
- HUNIC – KneePatch instruction manual (PDF)res.cloudinary.com ·
- HUNIC – SoftExo support page (manual links and help articles in the page script)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Help centrehunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Body heat map study summaryhunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Summary of Reimeir et al. studyhunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Summary of DRKS00036623 studyhunic.com ·
- HUNIC – DGUV context page (states no DGUV certification)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – About ushunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Press pagehunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Partner list (17 partners, 8 countries)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Trade fairs and eventshunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Legal notice (Impressum, copyright terms)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – General terms (AGB, B2B only)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Home page (photo source)hunic.com ·
- HUNIC – Former English SoftExo Lift page (Internet Archive)hunic.com · Web archive ·
- HUNIC – Former English SoftExo Lift 6 page (Internet Archive)hunic.com · Web archive ·
- HUNIC – Former English distributor page (Internet Archive)hunic.com · Web archive ·
- HUNIC – Former English picture-material page with press image terms (Internet Archive)hunic.com · Web archive ·
- Tröster et al., Person-specific evaluation method for occupational exoskeletons – Biomechanical body heat map, Applied Ergonomics 132 (2026) 104671 – abstract via Europe PMC / PubMed 41205438doi.org ·
- Reimeir et al., Effects of back-support exoskeletons with different functional mechanisms on trunk muscle activity and kinematics, Wearable Technologies 4 (2023) e12pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ·
- German Clinical Trials Register – DRKS00036623drks.de ·
- YouTube – HUNIC SoftExo Exoskelette channelyoutube.com ·
- YouTube – SoftExo Lift 6 – knee module and the new elastomeryoutube.com ·
- YouTube – Series SoftExo Lift 6 – Shoulder Splint & Waist Beltyoutube.com ·
- YouTube – Series: SoftExo Lift 6 - Shoulderyoutube.com ·
- YouTube – Warum trägt der älteste BMW-Händler der Welt Exoskelette?youtube.com ·
- Logistics Business – IFOY AWARD 2023 winners announced (third-party corroboration of the award)logisticsbusiness.com ·
- DIN Media – DIN 92419:2020-01, Principles of the ergonomic design of assistive systems (title only)dinmedia.de ·
We wrote this page from HUNIC's public website and documents as of . HUNIC has not confirmed anything on it and is not involved with this site. Photos and videos are HUNIC's own, each linked to where it appears. Items the maker does not publish are marked “Not in public info”. Standards are the maker's declarations; we do not judge compliance.
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