ABSTRACT Conventional lower‐limb exoskeletons often rely on lateral supports, which can shift the user's center of mass and induce gait asymmetry, thereby limiting practical deployment. This study preliminarily validated a rear‐supported exoskeleton with a three‐layer torque–impedance control strategy in healthy adults, providing initial evidence for potential rehabilitation applications. We designed the rear‐supported lower‐limb exoskeleton and evaluated its performance during level walking and on an 8.5° incline in six participants using synchronized surface electromyography and kinematic data. Results showed that rectus femoris root mean square of muscle activation decreased by 20.62% on level ground and 36.38% on the slope, while the Gait Symmetry Index improved by 8.82% and 14.37%, respectively. The combination of the rear‐supported structure and hierarchical control reduced muscular demand and enhanced bilateral gait symmetry, suggesting a potential design paradigm for assistive walking and future rehabilitation.
Su et al. (Sun,) studied this question.