Investigation of energy expenditure for exoskeleton walking: a case study

Investigation of energy expenditure during human movement is essential in understanding movement control mechanism, which can provide useful information for clinical gait analysis and in designing assistive motion devices. With the advancement in technology, exoskeletons are becoming a commercial possibility. This research aimed to develop a biomechanical approach to evaluate the mechanical and metabolic energy expenditure of walking with an exoskeleton. A case study was conducted to examine the energy expenditure of walking with a non-powered lower limb exoskeleton compared to walking without its use. Testing results showed that walking with a non-powered lower limb exoskeleton significantly increased energy expenditure and there was a slight difference in the energy expenditure between a coupled and uncoupled hip reciprocating mechanism when using the exoskeleton.