Soft robotic wearable upper limb exosuits for people with multiple sclerosis: Overview and SWOT analysis.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) significantly impairs sensory, cognitive, and motor functions, particularly affecting upper-limb capabilities and daily independence.
• Current rehabilitation strategies for people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) require adaptation to the disease's complexity.
• Wearable robotic systems, specifically exosuits, offer a potential avenue for tailored upper-limb assistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of exosuits for supporting upper-limb function in PwMS.
• To critically examine the benefits and limitations of exosuits regarding wearability, user experience, and clinical relevance to MS symptoms.
• To conduct a preliminary SWOT analysis for exosuit adoption in MS rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review on exosuit technology for upper-limb support.
• Critical analysis of wearability, user experience, and clinical alignment with MS.
• Preliminary Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis.

Main Results:

• Exosuits demonstrate potential for adaptive assistance in upper-limb tasks for PwMS.
• Key considerations include wearability, user experience, and alignment with MS-specific needs.
• A SWOT analysis identified critical factors for technology adoption.

Conclusions:

• Exosuits hold promising potential for enhancing upper-limb function and independence in PwMS.
• Further clinical trials involving PwMS are essential to validate exosuit usability and effectiveness.
• Targeted research and development are needed to optimize exosuits for MS rehabilitation.