ArticleJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2022
Can humans perceive the metabolic benefit provided by augmentative exoskeletons?
Article in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- An integrated multi-variable optimization approach to tailor ankle-foot orthosis stiffness to end-user needs.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- User preference-based human-in-the-loop tuning of exoskeleton assistance during walking.npj biomedical innovations · 2026Article
- Estimating and interpreting how humans prioritize multiple movement goals during walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Biomechanics-Informed Mechatronics Design of Comfort-Centered Portable Hip Exoskeleton: Actuator, Wearable Interface, Controller.IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics · 2025Article
- Preference-based assistance optimization for lifting and lowering with a soft back exosuit.Science advances · 2025Article
- Amplitude and frequency of human gait synchronization with a machine oscillator system.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Effect of walking with an active ankle exoskeleton on the biomechanical responses of the lumbar spine.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2025Article
- Effects of an active ankle exoskeleton on the walking biomechanics of healthy men.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2025Article
- A usability study on the inGAIT-VSO: effects of a variable-stiffness ankle-foot orthosis on the walking performance of children with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Validation of a modified visual analogue scale to measure user-perceived comfort of a lower-limb exoskeleton.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Opportunities and challenges in the development of exoskeletons for locomotor assistance.Nature biomedical engineering · 2023Review
- Neuromechanical Adaptation to Walking With Electromechanical Ankle Exoskeletons Under Proportional Myoelectric Control.IEEE open journal of engineering in medicine and biology · 2023Article
- Article
- Can humans perceive the metabolic benefit provided by augmentative exoskeletons?Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe purpose of augmentative exoskeletons is to help people exceed the limitations of their human bodies, but this cannot be realized unless people choose to use these exciting technologies. Although human walking efficiency has been highly optimized over generations, exoskeletons have been able to consistently improve this efficiency by 10-15%. However, despite these measurable improvements, exoskeletons today remain confined to the laboratory. To achieve widespread adoption, exoskeletons must not only exceed the efficiency of human walking, but also provide a perceivable benefit to their wearers.
methodsIn this study, we quantify the perceptual threshold of the metabolic efficiency benefit provided during exoskeleton-assisted locomotion. Ten participants wore bilateral ankle exoskeletons during continuous walking. The assistance provided by the exoskeletons was varied in 2 min intervals while participants provided feedback on their metabolic rate. These data were aggregated and used to estimate the perceptual threshold.
resultsParticipants were able to detect a change in their metabolic rate of 22.7% (SD: 17.0%) with 75% accuracy. This indicates that in the short term and on average, wearers cannot yet reliably perceive the metabolic benefits of today's augmentative exoskeletons.
conclusionsIf wearers cannot perceive the benefits provided by these technologies, it will negatively affect their impact, including long-term adoption and product viability. Future exoskeleton researchers and designers can use these methods and results to inform the development of exoskeletons that reach their potential.
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