Development of an advanced biomechanical model of the shoulder complex with a focus on the scapulothoracic joint and the evaluation of the effects of an assistive shoulder exoskeleton.

Abstract

In the last years, wearable passive exoskeletons have experimented a growth in popularity thanks to the development of modern technologies allowing to design lightweight and effective devices that rely only on springs and cantilevers to exert torques and forces aimed to reduce the load on human joints.Typical applications are in rehabilitation or in industry to assist workers during heavy and risky tasks andprevent them from suffering work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Devices meant to be used in working environ-ment, are designed to be lightweight, compact, easy to use and not to cause discomfort to the user.The aim of this work is to introduce a new detailed biomechanical model of the shoulder complex and tostudy the effects on shoulder kinematics of a commercial exoskeleton (“Paexo” by Ottobock) with a focus on the scapulothoracic joint, to further assess in the design of a new upper-limb exoskeleton.