A Review on Lower-Limb Exoskeleton System for Sit to Stand, Ascending and Descending Staircase Motion

Abstract

Robotic exoskeleton system has been found to be an active area of study which being used in human power augmentation, human power assistance, robotic rehabilitation, and haptic interaction in virtual reality developed in recent robotic research. In recent years, the application of robotic exoskeleton has become more prominent as to provide alternative solutions for physically less incapable people (PLIP) support in their daily movements. Most common difficulties faced by PLIP are in sit-to-stand, ascending and descending staircases. Unlike industrial robots, the robotic exoskeleton systems need to consider a special design because they directly interact with human user. In the mechanical design of these systems, human and robotic suitable kinematics, wearer safety, human user comfort wearing, low inertia, and adaptability should be especially considered. Controllability, responsiveness, flexible and smooth motion generation, and safety should especially be considered in the controllers of exoskeleton systems. Furthermore, the controller should generate the motions in accordance with the human motion intention. This paper briefly reviews the lower-limb robotic exoskeleton systems. In the short review, it is focused to identify the brief history, basic concept, challenges, and future development of the robotic exoskeleton systems to assist the physically less incapable people (PLIP) in rising up, sitting, ascending and descending staircases. Furthermore, key technologies of lower-limb exoskeleton systems are reviewed by taking state-of-the-art robot as examples. Keywords: List the Robotic exoskeleton systems, rehabilitation robotics, man-machine intelligent system