Development Trend of Robotic Exoskeletons

Throughout decades of the history of robotic systems development, exoskeleton has always been an intriguing and interesting branch of robotics. For the general population, exoskeletons can help to boost human physical abilities and overcome limitations. In fact, for certain individuals, exoskeletons have become essential in their day-to-day life. In this study, the background and recent advancements in several state-of-the-art robotic exoskeletons are highlighted and reviewed with the intention to shed new lights on the current development of robotic exoskeletons, including active-robotic exoskeletons, passive robotic exoskeletons, hybrid robotic exoskeletons and quasi- passive robotic exoskeletons. Each type of exoskeleton possesses unique characteristics which enables them to be useful in specific use cases. Several limitations and gaps of the study are also identified and discussed for future research and studies. The engineering knowledge and challenges of building robotic exoskeletons and their kinematics are also thoroughly studied and appreciated.