Review and analysis of recent development of lower extremity exoskeletons for walking assist

Abstract

The past decades marked a significant progress in the development of exoskeletons in research and in industry. The increasing use of exoskeletons in a variety of fields is a testimony to the advancements made by this class of human mobility assistive devices. The following paper provides a review of current development in lower extremity exoskeletons that deliver walking assistance. The paper focuses on exoskeletons that work in parallel with user's legs. The paper categorizes such exoskeletons into two groups: powered and passive exoskeletons. For each category, most common exoskeletons are revealed. For each given example, a detailed description and analysis of the mechanical design, actuation, control scheme and distinguishable features is presented. The paper concludes with a discussion on the challenges and future directions associated with the creation of these mechanical devices.