For smart cities using clean energy, optimal energy management has made the development of electric vehicles more popular. However, the fear of range anxiety—that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination—is slowing down the adoption of EVs. The integration of an auxiliary power unit (APU) can extend the range of a vehicle, making them more attractive to consumers. The increased interest in optimizing electric vehicles is generating research around range extenders. These days, many systems and configurations of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) have been proposed to recover energy. However, it is necessary to summarize all those efforts made by researchers and industry to find the optimal solution regarding range extenders. This paper analyzes the most relevant technologies that recover energy, the current topologies and configurations of EREVs, and the state-of-the-art in control methods used to manage energy. The analysis presented mainly focuses on finding maximum fuel economy, reducing emissions, minimizing the system’s costs, and providing optimal driving performance. Our summary and evaluation of range extenders for electric vehicles seeks to guide researchers and automakers to generate new topologies and configurations for EVs with optimized range, improved functionality, and low emissions.

Exoskeletons are an essential part of humankind’s future. The first records regarding the subject were published several decades ago, and the field has been expanding ever since. Their developments will be imperative for humans in the coming decades due to our constant pursuit of physical enhancement, and the physical constraints the human body has. The principal purpose of this article is to formalize research in the field of exoskeletons and introduce the field to more researchers in hopes of expanding research in the area. Exoskeletons can assist and/or aid in the rehabilitation of a person. Recovery exoskeletons are mostly used in medical and research areas; performance exoskeletons can be used in any area. This systematic review explains the precedents of the exoskeletons and gives a general perspective on their general present-day use, and provides a general categorization model with a brief description of each category. Finally, this paper provides a discussion of the state-of-the-art, and the current control techniques used in exoskeletons.

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