Review and Prospect on Key Technologies of Upper-limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Robots

Upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots demonstrate significant clinical value in assisting postoperative rehabilitation for rotator cuff tears, because they can provide precise control and personalized training, and enhance active participation. Firstly, the pathological mechanisms and rehabilitation objectives of rotator cuff tears, the anatomy of the shoulder joint complex, and upper-limb exoskeleton assisted postoperative rehabilitation of rotator cuff tears are introduced in this paper. Additionally, the mechanical structure design of upper-limb exoskeletons for shoulder joint rehabilitation is summarized. Then, the current research on trajectory planning techniques for upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots is reviewed, mainly including the comparison of three methods: polynomial functions, cost function optimization and machine learning algorithms. Finally, the future development trends of upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots are discussed from the perspectives of mechanical design, intent recognition, online trajectory planning and control, and personalized active rehabilitation.