Wearable hand exoskeletons for motor rehabilitation: a scoping review

This scoping review maps the current development landscape of wearable hand exoskeletons for motor rehabilitation, covering publications from 2010 to October 2025 across four major databases. A total of 134 articles were included, identifying 116 unique devices validated with human subjects. The results show a clear predominance of soft structures over rigid or hybrid ones, with electric motors and tendon-driven mechanisms being the most frequent actuation and transmission choices. However, there is a lack of uniformity in the information on device metrics, such as total weight and system dimensions, or usability metrics, like donning and doffing times, which hinders the direct comparison of different technologies. This review synthesizes current trends and emphasizes the need for standardized validation protocols to advance toward effective clinical solutions.