The neuromuscular control for lower limb exoskeleton- a 50-year perspective

Yu-Ning Chen; Yi-Ning Wu; Bing-Shiang Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111738

The neuromuscular control for lower limb exoskeleton- a 50-year perspective

J Biomech. 2023 Sep:158:111738. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111738. Epub 2023 Jul 22.

Authors

Yu-Ning Chen¹, Yi-Ning Wu², Bing-Shiang Yang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan; Biomechanics and Medical Application Laboratory, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Taiwan.
² Department of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA; The New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation Center, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan; Biomechanics and Medical Application Laboratory, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; Mechanical and Mechatronics Systems Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan; Taiwanese Society of Biomechanics, Taiwan. Electronic address: bsyang@nycu.edu.tw.

PMID: 37562276
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111738

Abstract

Historically, impaired lower limb function has resulted in heavy health burden and large economic loss in society. Although experts from various fields have put large amounts of effort into overcoming this challenge, there is still not a single standard treatment that can completely restore the lost limb function. During the past half century, with the advancing understanding of human biomechanics and engineering technologies, exoskeletons have achieved certain degrees of success in assisting and rehabilitating patients with loss of limb function, and therefore has been spotlighted in both the medical and engineering fields. In this article, we review the development milestones of lower limb exoskeletons as well as the neuromuscular interactions between the device and wearer throughout the past 50 years. Fifty years ago, the lower-limb exoskeletons just started to be devised. We review several prototypes and present their designs in terms of structure, sensor and control systems. Subsequently, we introduce the development milestones of modern lower limb exoskeletons and discuss the pros and cons of these differentiated devices. In addition, we summarize current important neuromuscular control systems and sensors; and discuss current evidence demonstrating how the exoskeletons may affect neuromuscular control of wearers. In conclusion, based on our review, we point out the possible future direction of combining multiple current technologies to build lower limb exoskeletons that can serve multiple aims.

Keywords: Exoskeleton; Exosuit; Human motion; Lower limb; Neuromuscular control.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomechanical Phenomena
Exoskeleton Device*
Humans
Lower Extremity