Biomechanical models in the lower-limb exoskeletons development: a review

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Robotics
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Lower limb exoskeletons enhance or support human movement.
• Biomechanical models are crucial for understanding human movement and motor control.
• These models are vital for the design, control, and assessment of assistive devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of biomechanical models and their applications in assistive device development.
• To critically analyze existing literature, identify research gaps, and suggest future research directions.
• To explore the potential of biomechanical models in developing human-compatible exoskeletons.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of biomechanical models and their applications in exoskeleton development.
• Classification of biomechanical models into conceptual and detailed types.
• Analysis of current research to identify limitations and future opportunities.

Main Results:

• Biomechanical models aid in designing, controlling, and assessing exoskeletons, and estimating key variables.
• Key future research areas include validating simulation studies and enhancing model accuracy and fidelity.
• Exoskeletons can serve as tools to validate and refine biomechanical models.

Conclusions:

• Further investigation is required to fully leverage biomechanical models for human-compatible exoskeletons.
• Future work should focus on model-based design for pathological gait and diverse design objectives.
• Increasing open-source resources will accelerate advancements in exoskeleton and biomechanical model development.