Characterization and Evaluation of Human-Exoskeleton Interaction Dynamics: A Review

Area of Science:

• Wearable Robotics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Exoskeletons and exosuits are rapidly growing in medical and industrial fields.
• Ensuring safety and quality of physical human-exoskeleton interactions (pHEI) is vital for commercialization.
• Current literature inadequately addresses the assessment of pHEI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze methods for assessing pHEI over the last decade.
• To identify gaps and challenges in current pHEI assessment techniques.
• To propose directions for harmonizing safety evaluation frameworks for wearable robotics.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of metrics, testing procedures, and measurement devices for pHEI.
• Analysis of the role of pHEI in safety contact evaluation.
• Identification of heterogeneity in current assessment approaches.

Main Results:

• A highly heterogeneous landscape of sensors and testing methods for pHEI was observed.
• Existing methods often fail to simulate realistic usage conditions and scenarios.
• Significant gaps and limitations exist in current pHEI assessment strategies.

Conclusions:

• Standardization of pHEI testing is necessary for the widespread adoption of exoskeletons.
• Developing a unified framework for interaction quality and safety assessment is a key future direction.
• Further research is needed to address the limitations of current pHEI evaluation methods.