National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
Smart HLPR LLC, Troutman, NC 28166, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2023 Jun 15;23(12):5604. doi: 10.3390/s23125604.
In recent years, exoskeleton test methods for industrial exoskeletons have evolved to include simulated laboratory and field environments. Physiological, kinematic, and kinetic metrics, as well as subjective surveys, are used to evaluate exoskeleton usability. In particular, exoskeleton fit and usability can also impact the safety of exoskeletons and their effectiveness at reducing musculoskeletal injuries. This paper surveys the state of the art in measurement methods applied to exoskeleton evaluation. A notional classification of the metrics based on exoskeleton fit, task efficiency, comfort, mobility, and balance is proposed. In addition, the paper describes the test and measurement methods used in supporting the development of exoskeleton and exosuit evaluation methods to assess their fit, usability, and effectiveness in industrial tasks such as peg in hole, load align, and applied force. Finally, the paper includes a discussion of how the metrics can be applied towards a systematic evaluation of industrial exoskeletons, current measurement challenges, and future research directions.
近年来，工业外骨骼的外骨骼测试方法已经发展到包括模拟实验室和现场环境。生理、运动学和动力学指标以及主观调查都被用来评估外骨骼的可用性。特别是，外骨骼的贴合度和可用性也会影响外骨骼的安全性及其在减少肌肉骨骼损伤方面的有效性。本文调查了应用于外骨骼评估的测量方法的最新进展。本文提出了一种基于外骨骼贴合度、任务效率、舒适性、移动性和平衡的度量指标的分类方法。此外，本文还描述了支持外骨骼和外骨骼评估方法开发的测试和测量方法，以评估它们在工业任务（如插孔、负载对齐和施加力）中的贴合度、可用性和有效性。最后，本文讨论了如何将这些指标应用于工业外骨骼的系统评估、当前测量挑战和未来研究方向。
