Benchmarking lower limb wearable robots: Emerging approaches and technologies

Lower limb wearable robots are entering an exciting era. An increasing number of solutions are moving out of the lab, approaching the everyday rehabilitation practice and home-based assistive scenarios. In this context, the quantitative assessment of the technology is crucial for its correct inclusion in the market. Nevertheless, the tool normally used to support this process, i.e. benchmarking, hasn't been formulated yet in the wearable robotics field. Within the European projects H2R and Biomot we are developing a scheme for the definition of benchmarks specifically designed for wearable robot devices. This scheme takes into account two main perspectives, named "functional" and "interaction". The functional perspective aims at evaluating the stability, efficiency and correctness of motion of the global system constituted by the patient wearing the robot. The interaction perspective aims at evaluating the symbiotic interplay between the user and the device, under the physical, cognitive, and psychophysiological standpoints. In addition, we also identify the critical role of the technology in the process of bringing benchmarks into the everyday laboratory practice, with a specific focus on the emerging measurement and perturbing solutions.