Diagnosis of Motor Performance Using Exoskeletons

This chapter discusses potential applications of exoskeletons in the sports setting, including the use of exoskeletons as a diagnostic tool to assess human motor performance (e.g. strength, gait or proprioception). In order to ensure reliability and validity of such assessments, various limitations and challenges in the development of exoskeletons will need to be overcome. We also highlight selected findings on the reliability and validity of the well-known Lokomat exoskeleton which is used for motor performance diagnosis in medical rehabilitation. Building on current efforts in exoskeleton research and development, and given the high interest in novel technologies in professional but also amateur sports, we anticipate that the use of exoskeletons among athletes and trainers will become more common in the near future.