Muscular activity and physical interaction forces during lower limb exoskeleton use

This study investigates the interaction forces between a lower limb exoskeleton and the user's body, specifically focusing on whether these forces are due to the user's muscular activity or the exoskeleton's movement. The research involved measuring muscle activity (EMG) and interaction forces at various points of contact between the exoskeleton and the user's legs during different movement tasks. The findings suggest that the interaction forces are primarily caused by the exoskeleton's movement, but muscular activity can play a significant role, especially at certain locations like the front of the leg.

• 1
  Peak interaction forces are particularly prominent at the anterior aspect of the right leg.
• 2
  Peak forces generally precede peak EMG activity, suggesting that muscle contractions are often a response to the exoskeleton's movement rather than anticipation of it.
• 3
  A statistically significant correlation was not found between EMG activity and force data overall, but higher correlation coefficients were observed in muscle/force pairs located at the anterior aspect of the right leg.