SUMMARY

Exoskeleton technology has grown immensely for its potentials in augmenting humans during locomotion. Specifically, hip exoskeletons have started to gain attention from different teams mainly due to the nature of the hip joint generating large amounts of mechanical power during locomotion. While recent hip exoskeleton studies show promising results, the optimal hip assistance strategy for maximizing human performance remains unknown. The proposed study will focus on three key objectives: 1) Explore the optimal hip exoskeleton design approach for maximal human exoskeleton performance during wide ranges of locomotion tasks, 2) Understand the contributions of sensor fusion-based user state estimation in improving the hip exoskeleton controls over a simulated community terrain, and 3) Quantify the biomechanical and clinical effects of the hip exoskeleton in improving the stroke subject’s community ambulation capability. The study’s findings will provide valuable information for the future exoskeleton designer in developing a more efficient exoskeleton system.