Exoskeletons in Neurological Diseases - Current and Potential Future Applications

An exoskeleton is a distinctive kind of robot to be worn as an overall, effectively supporting or, in some cases substituting for, the user's own movements. The development of exoskeletons can lead to important changes in the rehabilitation of disabled people by introducing an alternative to wheelchairs. Exoskeletons can be an efficient tool in gait re-education and in the restoration of upper limb functions, and they can support therapists and caregivers in tasks that require major physical effort. The functionality of exoskeleton can easily be extended by a "disabled person integrated IT environment", described by authors. Exoskeletons can also be easily adapted to the needs of severely ill or aged people (Adv Clin Exp Med 2011, 20, 2, 227-233).