Research Trend Analysis of Usability Evaluation in Exoskeleton Robots

Abstract

The development of exoskeleton robots by major ICT companies both domestically and internationally has been focused on augmenting or replacing human body capabilities. However, it is crucial to develop functions and technologies that can facilitate interaction with humans and to establish a proper evaluation system. To this end, this study aimed to derive detailed elements for user evaluation by synthesizing the functional characteristics, user evaluation method, and evaluation results of previously developed passive exoskeleton robots through literature review. The investigation focused on the functional characteristics, purpose, and user evaluation methods of passive exoskeleton robots. The study found that most of the test subjects were men in their 20s and the evaluation methods mainly involved joint angle, muscle activity, heart rate, and subjective questionnaires. However, there was a limitation that evaluation is performed only for specific body parts. As such, the study suggests that there is an urgent need for research to establish a methodology for the development and evaluation of exoskeleton robots that considers their characteristics, functions, use environment, and user class to advance in terms of safety, convenience, and usability. With the establishment of such methodology, exoskeleton robots can be optimized to cater to a wide range of users with different needs, ultimately enhancing their quality of life.