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Review
. 2021 Nov 2:9:765257.
doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.765257. eCollection 2021.

Systematic Review of Back-Support Exoskeletons and Soft Robotic Suits

Athar Ali  1 , Vigilio Fontanari  1 , Werner Schmoelz  2 , Sunil K Agrawal  3
Affiliations
Review

Systematic Review of Back-Support Exoskeletons and Soft Robotic Suits

Athar Ali et al. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. .

Abstract

Lower back pain and musculoskeletal injuries are serious concerns for workers subjected to physical workload and manual material handling tasks. Spine assistive exoskeletons are being developed to support the spine and distribute the spine load. This article presents a detailed up-to-date review on the back support exoskeletons by discussing their type (Active/Passive), structure (Rigid/Soft), power transmission methods, weight, maximum assistive force, battery technologies, tasks (lifting, bending, stooping work), kinematic compatibility and other important features. This article also assesses the back support exoskeletons in terms of their ability to reduce the physical load on the spine. By reviewing functional and structural characteristics, the goal is to increase communication and realization among ergonomics practitioners, developers, customers, and factory workers. The search resulted in reviewing 34 exoskeletons of which 16 were passive and 18 were active. In conclusion, back support exoskeletons have immense potential to significantly reduce the factors regarding work-related musculoskeletal injuries. However, various technical challenges and a lack of established safety standards limit the wide adaptation of exoskeletons in industry.

Keywords: assistive exoskeletons; back support exoskeletons; industrial exoskeletons; rehabilitation robotics; wearable robotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Article selection flowchart of systematic review.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Illustration of the direction of forces applied to the user while wearing (A) soft and (B) rigid exoskeleton (Lamers et al., 2018; Näf et al., 2018).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Back support devices classified based on actuation technology and structure.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Misalignment compensation strategies.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Studies reporting the change in muscular effort, resulting from wearing active and passive exoskeletons that assists the movement of the back. Color represents the investigated muscles; size represents the sample size varying between 1 and 36. Acronyms: Erector Spinae (ES), Erector Spinae iliocostalis (ESI), Erector Spinae Longissimus (ESL), Trapezius pars Ascendens (TA), Biceps Femoris (BF), Obliquus External Abdominis (OA), Rectus Abdominis (RA), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM), Trapezius Descendens (TD), Lumbar Erector Spinae (LES), Thoracic Erector Spinae (TES), Latissimus Dorsi (LD), Semitendinosus (SD, Tibialis Anterior Activity (TAA).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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