Abstract
Exoskeleton robotics has ushered in a new era of modern neuromuscular rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology research. The technology promises to improve the upper-limb functionalities required for performing activities of daily living. The exoskeleton technology is evolving quickly but still needs interdisciplinary research to solve technical challenges, e.g., kinematic compatibility and development of effective human–robot interaction. In this paper, the recent development in upper-limb exoskeletons is reviewed. The key challenges involved in the development of assistive exoskeletons are highlighted by comparing available solutions. This paper provides a general classification, comparisons, and overview of the mechatronic designs of upper-limb exoskeletons. In addition, a brief overview of the control modalities for upper-limb exoskeletons is also presented in this paper. A discussion on the future directions of research is included.
Highlights
Upper limb exoskeletons are electromechanical systems which are designed to interact with the user for the purpose of power amplification, assistance, or substitution of motor function [1].These devices are usually anthropomorphic in nature, as they mechanically interact with the human upper-limb musculoskeletal structure
CAREX-7 is still in the phase of its design improvement, where an adaptive orthosis is required for improved physical human–robot interaction (pHRI), which helps to reduce the relative motion between the human arm and exoskeleton
The study investigated the optimization of the design parameters by considering the workspace requirement as well as studied the effect of forces acting on the human arm by a robotic exoskeleton
Summary
Upper limb exoskeletons are electromechanical systems which are designed to interact with the user for the purpose of power amplification, assistance, or substitution of motor function [1]. These devices are usually anthropomorphic in nature, as they mechanically interact with the human upper-limb musculoskeletal structure They share broad areas of application, e.g., power amplification in an industrial environment [2], neuromuscular impairment compensation [3,4] or post-stroke rehabilitation [5,6], and support for disabled people in their activities of daily living (ADL) [7]. To review the performance correlation between the aforementioned three elements for exoskeleton applications and the way they contribute toward improved physical human–robot interaction is the main contribution of this article For this purpose, a comprehensive review on upper-body exoskeletons is presented. The article analyzes the key challenges involved in commercialization of research prototypes and compares them with the available market solutions, upon which some new research problems in mechanical design, actuation, and control strategy along with possible direction for future development are identified. Possible challenges and future aspects on the upper-limb exoskeleton robots are described with conclusion
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