COSMOS MAGAZINE

Free exoskeleton blueprint boosts  rehab robotics

A team from the  Biomechatronic Lab at Northern Arizona University (NAU) has developed OpenExo — the world’s first comprehensive open-source exoskeleton framework.

Credit: OpenExo/Northern Arizona University

The system, which is now freely available online, provides all the instructions, code and design files needed to build a working exoskeleton.

Credit: OpenExo/Northern Arizona University

For individuals living with physical disabilities — including spinal cord injuries, stroke-related impairments and cerebral palsy — robotic exoskeletons offer a pathway to greater independence, improved mobility and enhanced quality of life.

Credit: OpenExo/Northern Arizona University

"In a time of diminishing federal grant funding, open-source systems like OpenExo become increasingly critical for facilitating state-of-the-art research on robot-aided rehabilitation and mobility augmentation".

Professor Zach Lerner, Head of  Biomechatronic Lab Northern Arizona University