Research status

The human exoskeleton assistive robot originated from the idea and development of the Hardman assistive robot in the United States in 1966, and is still in the research and development stage today. The energy supply device, as well as the control system and force transmission device that highly meet the requirements of human agility and accuracy, still need to be vigorously invested in research and experimental attempts. The following are representative research results from recent years.
The Japanese exoskeleton robot HAL3, developed by the University of Tsukuba, is a power assisted machine called the "Robot suit" HAL (Habrid Assist Legs) that helps people with lower limb movements such as walking, standing up, and sitting down. The robot is mainly composed of a wireless LAN (local area network) system, a battery pack, a motor and reducer, sensors (floor reaction force sensor, surface electromyography sensor, angle sensor), and an actuator, with a total weight of about 17 kilograms. The equipment is relatively heavy, and the power transmission adopts the method of motor reducer exoskeleton mechanism. It can automatically adjust the assistance size of the device according to the human body's movement intention. Market planning: It will mainly target hazardous operations such as elderly care, disability assistance, firefighting, and police, and strengthen the development of the sports and entertainment market. HAL will be designed and produced for various purposes.
Israel: The "ReWalk" exoskeleton assistive device developed by Elg Medical Technology Company uses a pair of crutches to help maintain body balance. It consists of an electric leg brace, body sensors, and a backpack with a computer control box and rechargeable battery inside. Users can use the remote control belt to select a certain setting, such as standing, sitting, walking, climbing, etc., and then tilt forward to activate the body sensor and keep the mechanical leg in motion. Mainly used to assist paralyzed individuals in restoring their walking ability. The power transmission adopts the method of motor reducer exoskeleton mechanism, and the motion mode is mainly driven by the device to move the human body. The assistance size of the device is set by the control system and cannot be changed at any time according to the human's movement intention. Market planning mainly focuses on product development for customers with lower limb paralysis.
3 UC Berkeley Military Cooperation Project - Exoskeleton Assisted Robot Soldier Clothing
The device is called the Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton, also known as BLEEX, designed by the Advanced Defense Research Engineering Institute. It attempts to connect automated mechanical supports to a person's legs to reduce weight, allowing infantry to travel longer distances under heavier loads. This equipment mainly consists of fuel supply and engine system, control and detection system, hydraulic transmission system, and exoskeleton mechanism. People using this device need to connect their legs to the legs of the mechanical exoskeleton through a transmission belt, and carry a large backpack with the engine and control system on their back. The backpack also has space to carry the payload. The power transmission process is: engine hydraulic system exoskeleton mechanism. This device can balance the weight of the equipment (50 kilograms), making people feel no load when wearing it, and the control system will ensure that its center of gravity is always on the user's feet. The backpack of this device can also carry a weight of 32 kilograms. For the user, it only feels like they have carried 2 kilograms. This device not only helps soldiers, but also assists medical personnel in evacuating wounded from dangerous areas or enables firefighters to carry heavy equipment to climb more floors.
Wearable robot clothing will help troops improve combat effectiveness and endurance. The latest Raytheon Sarcos model developed by Raytheon Company in the United States has claw shaped hands. After wearing this equipment, American soldiers' strength and endurance will increase by 20 times compared to normal conditions. For Lockheed Martin's HULC model, wearers can easily carry objects weighing 200 pounds (approximately 91 kilograms) and complete more demanding tasks with less energy consumption. Currently, the US Army Soldier Systems Center is conducting military trials on robotic exoskeletons.  [1]
Another military cooperation project in the United States, the Raytheon Sarcos XOS, represents the latest level of assistance for exoskeleton robots. Figure 2 is the proud work of Dr. Steve Jacobsen, the Mobile Exoskeleton "XOS". The Exoskeleton "XOS" is designed to create superhuman soldiers, with a military research budget of $10 million provided by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). After 7 years of secret development, it represents the most cutting-edge technology in the field of mechanical exoskeletons. Its control concept is the same as BLEEX, where the control system determines the next action of the person through a detection system and a microcomputer system, and then decides how much assistance and speed to apply to the human body. It also transmits force to the exoskeleton mechanism through a hydraulic system, but it is a fully armed exoskeleton, while BLEEX is a lower limb exoskeleton robot. The "XOS" movement is much more agile and powerful than previous exoskeleton devices. By using sensors attached to the body, it is possible to respond to body movements without delay and output powerful force. When wearing the "XOS", it can lift a weight of 90.7kg while the human body feels only 9kg, and can lift it continuously for 50-500 times. But currently, 'XOS' has a major flaw, which is that its built-in battery can only be used for 40 minutes. If this problem is solved, I believe it will soon be practical.