WHEN WERE ACTIVE EXOSKELETONS ACTUALLY BORN?

Abstract

We are witnessing unimaginably intensive development in the field of humanoid robotics. The area of active exoskeletons is also experiencing a renaissance and is attracting increasing attention from researchers worldwide. The objective of this article is to consider the beginnings and review the history of the development of active exoskeletons, their original purpose and role in systems for rehabilitation of severely handicapped persons. The present-day development of active exoskeletons has to a large extent determined their future and applications in both the military and some specific activities that come out of the framework of rehabilitation systems and go deeply into special systems for enhancing power and expanding physical and working capabilities of humans. However, the origins of robotics, and especially of humanoid robotics, did not foreshadow such progress. We take a look back at the beginnings of the development of humanoid robots, especially bipedal locomotion systems and active exoskeletons, whose development marked the start of research in the domain of humanoid robotics. Once more we point out some of our pioneering results in the domain of active exoskeletons that were originally dedicated to supporting locomotion of handicapped persons. We show the relationships between the initial research in the field of active rehabilitation techniques and contemporary humanoid systems and try to predict the future directions of the development of humanoid robotics and active exoskeletal systems and their applications.