About this Research Topic
Gait assistance as both a societal need and a challenging engineering problem attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. In order to build robots to interact with humans, it is required to have not only knowledge in engineering (e.g., mechatronics), robotics and control, but also expertise on biomechanics, gait pathologies and human motor control. In this regard, employing bioinspired design and control concepts play an important role in developing high-performance, efficient and robust assistive devices. Exoskeletons, exosuits, prosthetics and orthotic devices are among the most popular tools developed to assist both nonimpaired and impaired people. Articles in this domain should hence include concepts from biomechanical studies with human experiments, using neuromuscular models to introduce new concepts in the design and control of assistive devices or rehabilitation. Implementations toward practical applications such as exoskeletons or rehabilitative devices are encouraged but will not be enforced as an obligatory requirement for submission.
Within this Research scope, we welcome contributions on the following topics:
• Bioinspired design and control of assistive devices such as
o Exoskeletons
o Exosuits
o Prostheses
o Orthoses
• Experimental analyses of the effects of assistive devices for
o Supporting walking of non-impaired people
o Pathological gait
o Balance control
• Rehabilitation approaches
• Modeling on gait assistance with biomechanical and neuromuscular models
• Approaches for assessment of assistive devices
This Research Topic is recommended by the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions” http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/ca/CA16116
Keywords: Biomechanics, legged locomotion, assistive device, bioinspiration, bipedal gaits
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
