An exoskeleton robot is a wearable robotic device that attaches to the human body and augments, supports, or replaces the wearer’s physical capabilities. Exoskeletons may be powered (actuated) or passive (spring-and-damper based), and are used for physical rehabilitation after stroke or spinal cord injury, industrial worker fatigue reduction, and military load-carrying augmentation. Safety is paramount because the robot shares the mechanical structure with a human; ISO 13482 governs safety requirements for personal care robots including exoskeletons.
An exoskeleton robot is a wearable robotic device that attaches to and moves with the human body to augment, support, or restore physical capabilities. Powered exoskeletons use motors and actuators aligned with the wearer’s joints, driven by control systems that interpret intent from force sensors, EMG signals, or inertial measurements. Applications span rehabilitation medicine (post-stroke gait retraining), industrial ergonomics (upper-limb support to reduce worker fatigue), and military logistics (load-carrying augmentation). Because the device is mechanically coupled to a human, safety analysis must address failure modes that could apply unintended forces to the wearer’s body.