With the rapid progress in robotic technology, such machine as a wearable smart device can be developed that perfectly combines human intelligence with mechanical system. Technologies related to such robots involve many scientific fields like mechanology, electronics, and biology, and have broad application prospects in the fields of human performance enhancement, sports assistant for the disabled, industrial manufacture and military reconnaissance. With the development of new materials and improvement of control algorithms, the performance of wearable robots has gained continuous progress and they have played a more and more important role in biomedicine and other fields. In this review, the designing schemes for selection of driving modality and construction of human-computer interface in developing wearable robots are discussed. From the material innovation aspect, the corresponding technical progress in recent years are introduced . The operating and control mechanisms lying behind the machine and materials are interpreted. The future development in this area are prospected as well.

wearable robots  /  material innovation  /  exoskeleton robot  /  athletic rehabilitation  /  human-computer interaction system  /  soft robot