Since the early 2000s, researchers have been trying to develop lower-limb exoskeletons that augment human mobility by reducing the metabolic cost of walking and running versus without a device. In 2013, researchers finally broke this 'metabolic cost barrier'. We analyzed the literature through December 2019, and identified 23 studies that demonstrate exoskeleton designs that improved human walking and running economy beyond capable without a device. Here, we reviewed these studies and highlighted key innovations and techniques that enabled these devices to surpass the metabolic cost barrier and steadily improve user walking and running economy from 2013 to nearly 2020. These studies include, physiologically-informed targeting of lower-limb joints; use of off-board actuators to rapidly prototype exoskeleton controllers; mechatronic designs of both active and passive systems; and a renewed focus on human-exoskeleton interface design. Lastly, we highlight emerging trends that we anticipate will further augment wearable-device performance and pose the next grand challenges facing exoskeleton technology for augmenting human mobility.

中文翻译：

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外骨骼扩展：提高步行和跑步的经济性。


自 2000 年代初期以来，研究人员一直在尝试开发下肢外骨骼，与没有设备的情况相比，通过降低步行和跑步的代谢成本来增强人类的活动能力。 2013年，研究人员终于打破了这个“代谢成本障碍”。我们分析了截至 2019 年 12 月的文献，并确定了 23 项研究，这些研究证明外骨骼设计可以改善人类步行和跑步的经济性，超越没有设备的情况。在这里，我们回顾了这些研究，并重点介绍了使这些设备能够超越代谢成本障碍并从 2013 年到近 2020 年稳步提高用户步行和跑步经济性的关键创新和技术。使用板外执行器快速制作外骨骼控制器原型；主动和被动系统的机电一体化设计；以及重新关注人体外骨骼界面设计。最后，我们强调了新兴趋势，我们预计这些趋势将进一步增强可穿戴设备的性能，并提出外骨骼技术在增强人类移动性方面面临的下一个重大挑战。