Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Slavka Net'ukova, Martin Bejtic, Christiane Mala, Lucie Horakova, Patrik Kutilek, Jan Kauler, Radim Krupicka
Summary: This article introduces the important criteria for sensors used in exoskeletons and the usage of various sensor types. It outlines the possibilities and limitations of special medical signal sensors and suggests potential directions for future exoskeleton developments.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Mohammadhadi Sarajchi, Mohamad Kenan Al-Hares, Konstantinos Sirlantzis
Summary: The study systematically reviewed 15 articles on LLEs assisting children with CP, finding consistent positive evidence on the efficacy of LLEs in improving gait patterns in these children. Statistical findings indicate that knee exoskeletons, brushless DC motors, the hierarchy control architecture, and CP children with spastic diplegia are the most common mechanical design, actuator type, control strategy, and clinical characteristics for these LLEs.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Junming Wang, Jing Shu, Yujie Su, Chengpeng Hu, Ling-Fung Yeung, Zheng Li, Raymond Kai-Yu Tong
Summary: In this paper, a concept of enhancing portability for ankle-foot orthosis actuated by pneumatic actuators is proposed and validated. By employing a slack cable tendon mechanism, the time delay response problem of pneumatic actuators can be eliminated through early triggering, and the system can effectively generate the desired force for dorsiflexion assistance. The portable ankle robot, equipped with a compact pump, holds significant potential for assisting individuals with lower limb weakness in walking.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Xinyao Tang, Xupeng Wang, Xiaomin Ji, Yawen Zhou, Jie Yang, Yuchen Wei, Wenjie Zhang
Summary: This study compares and analyzes different types of lower limb wearable exoskeletons, summarizes existing research, and provides improvement measures. The study finds that unpowered exoskeleton robots have advantages in endurance, mass, volume, and cost, and they are the future direction of development.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Habib Mohamad, Sadjaad Ozgoli
Summary: The development of lower limb exoskeletons has attracted significant interest recently, with two types being commonly used for gait rehabilitation and human locomotion assistance. However, there are still challenges in trajectory generation for online controlling of the exoskeleton, especially considering human intention and specific conditions. In this paper, an online gait generation method is proposed, utilizing three trajectory generator blocks for different phases of walking. The performance analysis and simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of these trajectory generator blocks, which were further validated through experimental tests on a healthy subject using the Exoped(R) exoskeleton in various scenarios.
ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Bernardo Noronha, Chwee Yin Ng, Kieran Little, Michele Xiloyannis, Christopher Wee Keong Kuah, Seng Kwee Wee, Suhas Raghavendra Kulkarni, Lorenzo Masia, Karen Sui Geok Chua, Dino Accoto
Summary: This study presents an improved version of a gravity-compensating upper limb exosuit and a novel hand exoskeleton to assist stroke patients in performing daily activities. The integrated system was tested on 10 chronic stroke patients, and significant reductions in muscular activity and improvements in muscular coactivation were observed, along with an increase in elbow flexion angle.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
David Eguren, Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal
Summary: Advancements have been made in robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation, but progress in systems for children has been slow despite potential benefits for conditions like cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Robotic-assisted gait therapy offers increased training duration and intensity, along with the development of brain-computer interfaces using noninvasive methods for neuromuscular rehabilitation.
IEEE SYSTEMS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Claudia J. W. Haarman, Edsko E. G. Hekman, Johan S. S. Rietman, Herman Van Der Kooij
Summary: In this paper, we presented a low-profile and lightweight exoskeleton that supports finger extension for stroke patients during daily activities. The exoskeleton is secured to the index finger and allows grasping objects by extending the flexed joint. Technical tests confirmed its ability to counteract passive flexion moments in severely affected patients. A feasibility study showed increased range of motion and improved grasp capability with the exoskeleton. The results suggest the potential for partially restoring hand function in stroke patients.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Ciaran T. O'Neill, Connor M. McCann, Cameron J. Hohimer, Katia Bertoldi, Conor J. Walsh
Summary: Textile-based pneumatic actuators have been developed for wearable applications due to their high strength to weight ratio, with investigations into the actuation mechanics of these actuators revealing distinct performance regimes such as Shearing, Creasing, and Flattening. The study aims to understand how geometric parameters of the actuators affect the generated moment, with results showing that the actuators can generate useful on-body moments in wearable applications.
Review
Automation & Control Systems
Duojin Wang, Xiaoping Gu, Wenzhuo Li, Yaoxiang Jin, Maisi Yang, Hongliu Yu
Summary: Wearable lower limb exoskeleton robots (WLLER) have broad development prospects in various fields, but their safety needs improvement and evaluation. This study examines current safety test methods and indicators, summarizes recent safety research, and identifies the lack of uniform and standard test methods and indicators for WLLER safety testing. Several promising research directions are discussed to develop a widely accepted test method for objectively evaluating the safety of WLLER.
ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Maxwell Kennard, Keisuke Yagi, Modar Hassan, Hideki Kadone, Hiromi Mochiyama, Kenji Suzuki
Summary: This article presents a study on the performance of a semiactive lower back support exoskeleton. The device utilizes a magnetorheological fluid to add a resistive force to the hip joint, helping to prevent injuries caused by fatigue and improve overall performance for workers. Analysis using a biomechanical model shows that the device significantly reduces muscle activation and energy consumption during the lifting cycle.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Brandon P. R. Edmonds, Christopher T. DeGroot, Ana Luisa Trejos
Summary: A key issue in wearable technology is the use of stiff electrical motors to actuate joints, which cannot replicate biological properties. In contrast, the twisted coiled actuator (TCA) offers flexibility and high accuracy. This article proposes a new solution for modeling the thermal behavior of TCAs and demonstrates its high accuracy in predicting temperature changes.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2021)
Article
Robotics
Carly Thalman, Marielle Prescott Debeurre, Hyunglae Lee
Summary: The study found that the novel soft robotic ankle-foot orthosis (SR-AFO) has significant potential in gait entrainment, effectively improving gait adaptation and rehabilitation. All 10 subjects were successfully entrained with the SR-AFO, and the observed basin of entrainment was substantially higher compared to a heavy rigid ankle robot, confirming its effectiveness.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Pawel Herbin, Miroslaw Pajor
Summary: The article introduces the structure, control system, and joint drive system of the upper limb exoskeleton; utilizes Bowden cable transmission and serial elastic actuator concept to control drive torque; presents joint control methods minimizing friction impact and torque estimation methods based on the exoskeleton dynamics model.
MECHANISM AND MACHINE THEORY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Jiancheng Nie, Ming Jiang, Andrea Botta, Yukio Takeda
Summary: This paper presents an adaptive and fuzzy logic-based gait event detection method for wearable assistive devices. The method improves the detection accuracy of gait events by updating the detection threshold and combining information about foot angular velocity and acceleration.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2023)