Session: CIE-22-01 - AMS-CAPPD: Digital Twin: Advanced Human Modeling and Simulation in Engineering

Paper Number: 88968

88968 - Assessments and Evaluation Methods for Upper Limb Exoskeleton - a Literature Survey 

Exoskeleton is an external frame that can be worn to enhance human physical performance. American society for testing and materials (ASTM) defined exoskeleton as a wearable device that augments, enables, assists, or enhances motion, posture, or physical activity. The exoskeleton can be applied to military, medical, industrial, public safety and consumer/recreational fields, and its terminologies have been evolving following the improvement of the exoskeleton technologies. Exoskeleton technology has gained great interests in several fields including robotics, medicine, rehabilitation, ergonomics, and military. Especially, upper-limb exoskeletons are developed aiming to increase worker’s physical ability such as stability, force and power production and reduce biomechanical loads, working fatigue, which relieves overexertion risk. Extensive research has been conducted to assess existing and newly proposed exoskeletons, but they still have trade-off and user convenience issues to resolve. Therefore, the primary purpose of this paper is to review classification of the upper-limb exoskeletons and functional assessment, particularly regarding the complex interactions between human and exoskeleton. Secondly the paper is to provide insight in issues associated with the upper-limb exoskeletons in terms of design, usability, and standards. Finally, discussion on future directions for upper limb exoskeleton development and assessment is presented. This review will be benifitial to exoskeleton designers, users, and researchers on assessment.

Presenting Author: Seunghun Lee Texas Tech University

Presenting Author Biography: Seunghun Lee is a PHD candidate at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University.

Authors:

Seunghun Lee Texas Tech University
Yujiang Xiang Oklahoma State University
Ting Xia Northern Illinois University
James Yang Texas Tech University