{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T16:37:31Z","timestamp":1776443851875,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]],"date-time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706745600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation (DFG)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["435242218"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["435242218"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation (DFG)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["WA 2913\/41-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["WA 2913\/41-1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation (DFG)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MA 5940\/11-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MA 5940\/11-1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation (DFG)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["WE 6430\/3-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["WE 6430\/3-1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Robotics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Simulation models are a valuable tool for exoskeleton development, especially for system optimization and evaluation. It allows an assessment of the performance and effectiveness of exoskeletons even at an early stage of their development without physical realization. Due to the closed physical interaction between the exoskeleton and the user, accurate modeling of the human\u2013exoskeleton interaction in defined scenarios is essential for exoskeleton simulations. This paper presents a novel approach to simulate exoskeleton motion in response to human motion and the interaction forces at the physical interfaces between the human and the exoskeleton. Our approach uses a multibody model of a shoulder exoskeleton in MATLAB R2021b and imports human motion via virtual markers from a digital human model to simulate human\u2013exoskeleton interaction. To validate the human-motion-based approach, simulated exoskeleton motion and interaction forces are compared with experimental data from a previous lab study. The results demonstrate the feasibility of our approach to simulate human\u2013exoskeleton interaction based on human motion. In addition, the approach is used to optimize the support profile of an exoskeleton, indicating its potential to assist exoskeleton development prior to physical prototyping.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/robotics13020027","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]],"date-time":"2024-02-01T09:04:21Z","timestamp":1706778261000},"page":"27","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["A Novel Approach to Simulating Realistic Exoskeleton Behavior in Response to Human Motion"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1296-6622","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zhejun","family":"Yao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Manufacturing Technology, Helmut-Schmidt University Hamburg (HSU), Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-6771-8001","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Seyed Milad","family":"Mir Latifi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Manufacturing Technology, Helmut-Schmidt University Hamburg (HSU), Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany"}]},{"given":"Carla","family":"Molz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Engineering Design, Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg (FAU), Martensstra\u00dfe 9, 91058 Erlangen, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9618-2942","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Scherb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Engineering Design, Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg (FAU), Martensstra\u00dfe 9, 91058 Erlangen, Germany"}]},{"given":"Christopher","family":"L\u00f6ffelmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Engineering Design, Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg (FAU), Martensstra\u00dfe 9, 91058 Erlangen, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9251-9894","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"S\u00e4nger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IPEK-Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstra\u00dfe 10, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8610-1966","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"J\u00f6rg","family":"Miehling","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Engineering Design, Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg (FAU), Martensstra\u00dfe 9, 91058 Erlangen, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0244-5033","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandro","family":"Wartzack","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Engineering Design, Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg (FAU), Martensstra\u00dfe 9, 91058 Erlangen, Germany"}]},{"given":"Andreas","family":"Lindenmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IPEK-Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstra\u00dfe 10, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5978-694X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sven","family":"Matthiesen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IPEK-Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstra\u00dfe 10, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1286-4458","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert","family":"Weidner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Manufacturing Technology, Helmut-Schmidt University Hamburg (HSU), Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany"},{"name":"Chair of Production Technology, Institute of Mechatronics, University of Innsbruck (UIBK), Technikerstra\u00dfe 13, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1596","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2018.2854605","article-title":"Modeling and Simulation of a Lower Extremity Powered Exoskeleton","volume":"26","author":"Fournier","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Black, N.L., Neumann, W.P., and Noy, I. (2021, January 13\u201318). Assessing the Efficiency of Industrial Exoskeletons with Biomechanical Modelling\u2014Comparison of Experimental and Simulation Results. Proceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2021), Online."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Agarwal, P., Neptune, R.R., and Deshpande, A.D. (2016). A Simulation Framework for Virtual Prototyping of Robotic Exoskeletons. J. Biomech. Eng., 138.","DOI":"10.1115\/1.4033177"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Guan, X., Ji, L., Wang, R., and Huang, W. (2016, January 16\u201320). Optimization of an Unpowered Energy-Stored Exoskeleton for Patients with Spinal Cord Injury. Proceedings of the 2016 38th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), Orlando, FL, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/EMBC.2016.7591857"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.1016\/j.robot.2016.12.012","article-title":"A Human-Centered Design Optimization Approach for Robotic Exoskeletons through Biomechanical Simulation","volume":"91","author":"Zhou","year":"2017","journal-title":"Robot. Auton. Syst."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tr\u00f6ster, M., Wagner, D., M\u00fcller-Graf, F., Maufroy, C., Schneider, U., and Bauernhansl, T. (2020). Biomechanical Model-Based Development of an Active Occupational Upper-Limb Exoskeleton to Support Healthcare Workers in the Surgery Waiting Room. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17145140"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lepora, N.F., Mura, A., Krapp, H.G., Verschure, P.F.M.J., and Prescott, T.J. (2013). Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-39802-5"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"978","DOI":"10.20965\/jrm.2011.p0978","article-title":"Motion-Based-Design of Elastic Material for Passive Assistive Device Using Musculoskeletal Model","volume":"23","author":"Imamura","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Robot. Mechatron."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kuhn, J., Hu, T., Schappler, M., and Haddadin, S. (2018, January 16). Dynamics Simulation for an Upper-Limb Human-Exoskeleton Assistance System in a Latent-Space Controlled Tool Manipulation Task. Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE International Conference on Simulation, Modeling, and Programming for Autonomous Robots (SIMPAR), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.","DOI":"10.1109\/SIMPAR.2018.8376286"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1016\/S1672-6529(16)60437-7","article-title":"Simulation Architecture for Modelling Interaction Between User and Elbow-Articulated Exoskeleton","volume":"14","author":"Schmidhauser","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Bionic Eng."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1838","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mex.2019.08.014","article-title":"Human-Exoskeleton Control Simulation, Kinetic and Kinematic Modeling and Parameters Extraction","volume":"6","author":"Khamar","year":"2019","journal-title":"MethodsX"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mosconi, D., Nunes, P.F., Ostan, I., and Siqueira, A.A.G. (December, January 29). Design and Validation of a Human-Exoskeleton Model for Evaluating Interaction Controls Applied to Rehabilitation Robotics. Proceedings of the 2020 8th IEEE RAS\/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), New York, NY, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/BioRob49111.2020.9224436"},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Chen, J., Zhang, X., and Zhu, L. (2014). Kinematics Analysis and Three-Dimensional Simulation of the Rehabilitation Lower Extremity Exoskeleton Robot. arxiv."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2859","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2020.3039923","article-title":"Simulation of a Passive Knee Exoskeleton for Vertical Jump Using Optimal Control","volume":"28","author":"Ostraich","year":"2020","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Inkol, K.A., and McPhee, J. (December, January 29). Assessing Control of Fixed-Support Balance Recovery in Wearable Lower-Limb Exoskeletons Using Multibody Dynamic Modelling. Proceedings of the 2020 8th IEEE RAS\/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), New York, NY, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/BioRob49111.2020.9224430"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Koch, H., and Mombaur, K. (2015, January 11\u201314). ExoOpt\u2014A Framework for Patient Centered Design Optimization of Lower Limb Exoskeletons. Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), Singapore.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICORR.2015.7281185"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1155\/2006\/701729","article-title":"Design and Implementation of NTU Wearable Exoskeleton as an Enhancement and Assistive Device","volume":"3","author":"Low","year":"2006","journal-title":"Appl. Bionics Biomech."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Derman, M., Soliman, A.F., Kuru, A., Cevik, S.C., Unal, R., Bebek, O., and Ugurlu, B. (2022, January 24\u201326). Simulation-Based Design and Locomotion Control Implementation for a Lower Body Exoskeleton. Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE 5th International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS), Coventry, UK.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICPS51978.2022.9816855"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.advengsoft.2014.09.005","article-title":"Co-Simulation Research of a Novel Exoskeleton-Human Robot System on Humanoid Gaits with Fuzzy-PID\/PID Algorithms","volume":"79","author":"Pan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Adv. Eng. Softw."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kecskem\u00e9thy, A., and Geu Flores, F. (2020). Multibody Dynamics 2019, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-23132-3"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1023\/B:NODY.0000014558.70434.b0","article-title":"A Gluing Algorithm for Distributed Simulation of Multibody Systems","volume":"34","author":"Wang","year":"2003","journal-title":"Nonlinear Dyn."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1012279120194","article-title":"A Gluing Algorithm for Network-Distributed Multibody Dynamics Simulation","volume":"6","author":"Tseng","year":"2001","journal-title":"Multibody Syst. Dyn."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rustin, C., Verlinden, O., and Bombled, Q. (September, January 30). A Cosimulation T-T Procedure Gluing Subsystems in Multibody Dynamics Simulations. Proceedings of the ASME 2009 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference; American Society of Mechanical Engineers Digital Collection, San Diego, CA, USA.","DOI":"10.1115\/DETC2009-86617"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2408","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2018.2812905","article-title":"Evaluation of a Novel Active Exoskeleton for Tasks at or Above Head Level","volume":"3","author":"Otten","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE Robot. Autom. Lett."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1209","DOI":"10.1080\/10255842.2019.1651296","article-title":"Musculoskeletal Modeling of User Groups for Virtual Product and Process Development","volume":"22","author":"Miehling","year":"2019","journal-title":"Comput. Methods Biomech. Biomed. Eng."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"829","DOI":"10.1007\/s10439-005-3320-7","article-title":"A Model of the Upper Extremity for Simulating Musculoskeletal Surgery and Analyzing Neuromuscular Control","volume":"33","author":"Holzbaur","year":"2005","journal-title":"Ann. Biomed. Eng."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"S\u00e4nger, J., Yao, Z., Schubert, T., Wolf, A., Molz, C., Miehling, J., Wartzack, S., Gwosch, T., Matthiesen, S., and Weidner, R. (2022). Evaluation of Active Shoulder Exoskeleton Support to Deduce Application-Oriented Optimization Potentials for Overhead Work. Appl. Sci., 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/app122110805"},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"(2023, October 13). Full Body Modeling with Plug-in Gait\u2014Nexus 2.11 Documentation\u2014Vicon Documentation. Available online: https:\/\/docs.vicon.com\/display\/Nexus211\/Full+body+modeling+with+Plug-in+Gait#FullbodymodelingwithPluginGait-MarkerplacementforPlug-inGaitfullbodymodel."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Miller, S. (2023, October 18). Simscape Multibody Contact Forces Library. Available online: https:\/\/github.com\/mathworks\/Simscape-Multibody-Contact-Forces-Library."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"151","article-title":"Assessment of Frictional Properties of Some Woven Fabrics","volume":"19","author":"Kothari","year":"1994","journal-title":"IJFTR"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"S\u00e4nger, J., Wirth, L., Yao, Z., Scherb, D., Miehling, J., Wartzack, S., Weidner, R., Lindenmann, A., and Matthiesen, S. (2023). ApOL-Application Oriented Workload Model for Digital Human Models for the Development of Human-Machine Systems. Machines, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/machines11090869"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jelekin.2017.12.001","article-title":"Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: An Electromyographic Study of Shoulder Girdle Muscle Fatigue","volume":"38","author":"Alizadehkhaiyat","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Electromyogr. Kinesiol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.4085\/1062-6050-49.3.92","article-title":"Acromiohumeral Distance and 3-Dimensional Scapular Position Change After Overhead Muscle Fatigue","volume":"50","author":"Maenhout","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Athl. Train."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1099","DOI":"10.1007\/s00420-015-1036-z","article-title":"Combined Musculoskeletal Pain in the Upper and Lower Body: Associations with Occupational Mechanical and Psychosocial Exposures","volume":"88","author":"Sommer","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health"},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Argubi-Wollesen, A. (2021). Entwicklung und Biomechanische Evaluation Eines K\u00f6rpergetragenen Unterst\u00fctzungssystems (Exoskelett) F\u00fcr Arbeiten in und \u00dcber Kopfh\u00f6he. [Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Hamburg]."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1413","DOI":"10.1109\/TBME.2000.880092","article-title":"Estimation of Intrinsic and Reflex Contributions to Muscle Dynamics: A Modeling Study","volume":"47","author":"Perreault","year":"2000","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1659","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2008.03.014","article-title":"NMClab, a Model to Assess the Contributions of Muscle Visco-Elasticity and Afferent Feedback to Joint Dynamics","volume":"41","author":"Schouten","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sakka, S., Hayot, C., and Lacouture, P. (2010, January 6\u20138). A Generalized 3D Inverted Pendulum Model to Represent Human Normal Walking. Proceedings of the 2010 10th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, Nashville, TN, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICHR.2010.5686351"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1111","DOI":"10.1113\/jphysiol.2001.013077","article-title":"Human Balancing of an Inverted Pendulum: Position Control by Small, Ballistic-like, Throw and Catch Movements","volume":"540","author":"Loram","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"Kwon, T., and Hodgins, J. (2010). Control Systems for Human Running Using an Inverted Pendulum Model and a Reference Motion Capture Sequence, The Eurographics Association."}],"container-title":["Robotics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2218-6581\/13\/2\/27\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T13:52:47Z","timestamp":1760104367000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2218-6581\/13\/2\/27"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]}},"alternative-id":["robotics13020027"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/robotics13020027","relation":{},"ISSN":["2218-6581"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2218-6581","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]]}}}