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This paper conducts a thorough literature review and assessment of prevailing upper-limb rehabilitation devices, scrutinizing their strengths and limitations. The focus of this work is mainly on soft exosuit devices but some rigid and hybrid exoskeleton devices are also discussed as a comparative mean. Subsequently, this manuscript delineates explicit design guidelines with the intent of fostering a systematic approach toward innovation in the realm of upper-limb rehabilitation technology. Through an examination of current concepts and technological paradigms, this study seeks to contribute nuanced insights aimed at optimizing both efficacy and user experience in rehabilitation device design. The culmination of this critical analysis results in the proposal of a systematic design procedure to inform and influence the trajectory of specific user-tailored innovations within the domain of upper-limb rehabilitation devices.The proposed approach enables the identification of features and weaknesses in existing devices, facilitating also the design of innovative solutions for unsolved issues in the field of wearable robotics. A design example is presented to clarify the proposed design procedure. • A systematic review of the state of the art on wearable device. • Classification of wearable robots for upper limb motion assistance in ADLs, based on the number and the types of physiological DoFs. • An innovative and systematic method to guide designers in the initial phase of design of the wearable robots. • Case study description for method demonstration and assessment.
Perrelli et al. (Mon,) studied this question.