Rehabilitation with exoskeletons: How robotics is helping people get moving again

After an accident or stroke, many people undergoing rehabilitation are unable to regain full mobility. Limitations remain, and sometimes aids are necessary. Exoskeletons can open up new opportunities here: they provide targeted support for movement and are designed to lead to better therapy results.

Ekso Bionics Europe GmbH, a provider of exoskeletons for therapy facilities, has had positive results. Stephan Aderhold, Vice President of Sales & Marketing EMEA, explains: "We are celebrating 10 years of Ekso this year! Over the last 10 years, our mission has remained unchanged – to improve the mobility and thus the quality of life of many people. We are committed to providing innovative, cutting-edge technology for outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation centers, and we are very proud to be able to offer this technology in over 400 rehabilitation centers worldwide."

The EksoNR model weighs 25 kilograms, is self-supporting, and has four motors. During the approximately four-hour battery life, users can cover up to 12 kilometers. Steps are triggered by shifting weight or pressing a button.

The exoskeleton was developed specifically for neurorehabilitation. It supports people after a stroke or people who have neurological disorders that affect their gait. The device is controlled during therapy sessions via a touchscreen remote control. Real-time measurements allow the settings to be adjusted individually. In addition to gait training, balance exercises, standing up, or prolonged standing can also be practiced. This allows forgotten movement patterns to be reestablished.

Using an exoskeleton in therapy involves more than just "sliding into it". Robotics takes over certain movements or assists in their execution. However, users must actively initiate these movements – with the support of therapists. Patience, training, and teamwork are therefore essential for successful progress.

For exoskeletons to function smoothly, they must be precisely adjusted to the body. The more complex the system, the more time-consuming this process is. Researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Stuttgart have found that the adjustment process often takes many hours – sometimes even a whole day.

A team led by Professor David Remy from the Institute of Nonlinear Mechanics at the University of Stuttgart is working on simplifying the adjustment process. The goal is to achieve a setting in just a few minutes – based on subjective feedback from users.

In the experiment, participants selected points on a grid on a tablet without knowing which parameters they were influencing. While running on a treadmill with an ankle exoskeleton, they tried out different configurations until they found their preferred setting. Behind the scenes, a computer calculated the strength and timing of the support and adjusted it accordingly.

The result: subjective preference proved to be stable and reliably measurable. Professor Remy expects that this method will make it possible to adjust exoskeletons much more quickly in three to five years.

Anyone interested in finding out about the latest developments will regularly find exoskeletons at REHACARE in Düsseldorf – both at exhibitors' stands and in special areas in the exhibition halls. There, experts and interested visitors alike can see how robotics is changing rehabilitation.

Originally published on: July 28, 2022
Last updated on: August 31, 2025