Mechatronic Wearable Exoskeletons for Bionic Bipedal Standing and Walking: A New Synthetic Approach

• Published in: Frontiers in neuroscience Vol. 10; p. 343
• Main Authors: Onose, Gelu, Cârdei, Vladimir, Crăciunoiu, Ştefan T., Avramescu, Valeriu, Opriş, Ioan, Lebedev, Mikhail A., Constantinescu, Marian Vladimir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 29.09.2016; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Adaptive technology; Balance; Case reports; Construction; Exoskeleton; Gait; Literature reviews; Medicine; Neuroscience; Neurosciences; Older people; Paralysis; Patients; People with disabilities; Physiology; Posture; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord; Stroke; Taxonomy; Walking; Wheelchairs; United States > US; Romania; models; bionic walk assistance; bipedal standing; portable/wearable exoskeletons; mechatronic
• ISSN: 1662-453X; 1662-4548; 1662-453X
• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00343

During the last few years, interest has been growing to mechatronic and robotic technologies utilized in wearable powered exoskeletons that assist standing and walking. The available literature includes single-case reports, clinical studies conducted in small groups of subjects, and several recent systematic reviews. These publications have fulfilled promotional and marketing objectives but have not yet resulted in a fully optimized, practical wearable exoskeleton. Here we evaluate the progress and future directions in this field from a joint perspective of health professionals, manufacturers, and consumers. We describe the taxonomy of existing technologies and highlight the main improvements needed for the development and functional optimization of the practical exoskeletons.