Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robot: A review

Abstract

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots (LLRERs) play a positive role in lower limb rehabilitation and assistance for patients with lower limb disorders, and they are helpful to improve patients’ physical status. More and more experiments pay more attention to the kinematic and dynamic data characteristics of different patient groups. However, it is not clear whether these devices have broad adaptability and their clinical significance, so it is necessary to summarize and analyze these research results. This paper summarizes the LLRERs prototype and product in recent years, also compares the advantages and disadvantages of the theory and technology used in these research, and compares the functional characteristics of the devices, finally summarizes the aspects of the LLRERs to be improved. These devices apply advanced theories, techniques or structures, as well as human kinematics and dynamics data. However, due to the complexity of human body characteristics and movement rules, the theory or technology applied in the study design of LLRERs remains to be further studied, which can be improved in many aspects, such as improve the human-computer cooperation of equipment or carry out clinical trials. This paper can provide reference for researchers and designers in the future study, as well as understanding and selecting LLRERs for all kinds of therapist and patients.

Real-Time Identification of Knee Joint Walking Gait as Preliminary Signal for Developing Lower Limb Exoskeleton

“…where: O = Output I = Input H (1) = Activation function in layer 1 H (2) = Activation function in layer 2 H (3) = Activation function in layer 3 W (1) = Weight matric for layer 1 W (2) = Weight matric for layer 2 W (3) = Weight matric for layer 3…”

“…One of the solutions is an exoskeleton robot that is intended to help humans walk. Such a robot can be classified into two types, namely lower limb and upper limb, which have been reviewed in [1][2][3][4]. The lower limb exoskeleton is not only used for medical purposes, such as assisting human walking [5], training or rehabilitation due to stroke, post stroke, and spinal cord injury [6,7], but also for military purposes or lifting heavy objects [8], and for gaining the ability for walking long distances [9].…”

A Survey on Design and Control of Lower Extremity Exoskeletons for Bipedal Walking

“…The existing reviews on bipedal walking exoskeletons have been performed for medical applications. A majority of the researchers in the last decade focused on modular rehabilitation of the ankle or knee joints [35][36][37][38] while some selected articles reviewed the leg composition, but with an additional supportive device [39][40][41][42][43][44]. There have been reviews, designs, and clinical gait evaluations in the last few decades, but no specific meta-analysis has been made combining several analyses, evaluations, design, and control methods to validate a model as a proof of concept for developing efficient, affordable, and safety-wise bipedal walking exoskeleton robots that require no additional crutches support.…”

Analysis and Evaluation of a Quasi-Passive Lower Limb Exoskeleton for Gait Rehabilitation

“…During manual rehabilitation training, the training time is limited to the therapist. With this limitation of time, the gait style of the patient is not reproducible and thus the whole therapy is not optimal [9] [10]. Rehabilitation exoskeletons allow normal and symmetrical walking style with raising the period and intensity of the practice sessions [11] [12].…”