S.V. Smirnov1

1 Trapeznikov Institute of Management Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia)
1 sapr2006@bk.ru

The work is devoted to the relevant and promising topic of the use of exoskeletons (ES) in the military and medical industries, as a unique wearable robotic device that enhances human physical capabilities, as well as helps to restore lost functions. In ES, you can easily lift, hold and transfer various heavy items, including military equipment, fire and rescue equipment, heavy containers with cargo, and patient rehabilitation processes are better in them. Consideration of the use of ES in this work is due to the fact that they are able to increase the ability of military personnel to carry heavy loads and weapons, including loading and unloading, etc. In addition, ES are in demand in the medical field, where they are used to restore human body functions after operations (diseases), actively help medical staff when working in hospitals with non-mobile patients, and are also used for "constant wearing" by people with limited mobility. They can have a variety of designs, including exoskeletons for the lower and upper limbs, as well as the trunk. Currently, ES technology has made significant progress, leading to the creation of modern and innovative solutions that can increase strength several times or give the joy of movement to an almost paralyzed person.

The paper briefly reviewed the history of the emergence of ES, as well as investigated individual examples of the practical use of modern exoskeletons in the military and medical industries (produced abroad and in Russia), and also indicated their technical and functional capabilities in solving the problems of strengthening the physical capabilities of a serviceman, as well as improving the processes of rehabilitation of patients and the life of people with limited mobility (with disabilities) groups of the population. In addition, it was. Based on the results of the work, the following models were considered:

Military: XOS 2 is a second-generation robotic suit developed by the military-industrial company Raytheon Sarcos for the US Army. According to Raytheon, the XOS 2 is capable of lifting loads up to 90 kg. (however, the weight of the ES itself is also 90 kg.), While the user does not even feel the weight of the load (feeling it like 5 kg.). This ES uses a combination of controllers, sensors, high-strength aluminum and steel, which allow its structures and drives to perform various tasks, as well as determine the position of a person and the required force to perform an action. This ES is intended for military logisticians involved in the transportation of various cargoes both on and off the battlefield. In addition, it can be applied in medicine.

Модель HULC (Human Universal Load Carrier), разработана американской компанией Berkeley Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory и корпорацией Lockheed Martin. It is an untethered (with an autonomous power source) anthropomorphic ES with a hydraulic drive. HULC, unlike the XOS 2 discussed above, is a battery-powered robotic lower limb complex. However, it has advantages: the weight of the device is 24 kg. (without battery), which contributes to its greater mobility, the distance in such equipment reaches 20 km (with a maximum speed of 11 to 16 km/h). HULC allows you to lift cargo up to 90 kg without any restrictions.

The Hercule model, designed by RB3D (France) together with the ESME engineering school and the CEA LIST institute. This ES unloads the soldier's back with the help of mechanized legs and arms, which take on the weight of the exoskeleton and payload (machine gun, ammunition box, etc.). The carrying capacity range of this ES is within 20-100 kg., And the speed of an infantryman with this weight reaches 4 km/h at a distance of 15-20 kilometers. The functioning of Hercule is built on classic principles, which are based on tracking the user's movement and their multiple amplification.

The Russian model of ES EO-01.02 produced by «GB Engineering» with the direct participation of TsNIITochMash, which is part of the Russian corporation «Rostec». This design is intended for assault engineer units. EO-01.02 is made of carbon fiber (durable and lightweight composite material) and is equipped with a system of lever-hinge control mechanisms (is passive). The main function of the EO-01.02 is to perform the necessary actions by repeating the physiological structure of the human body. Depending on the configuration, the weight of such an ES is 4-8 kg, allowing you to carry up to 70 kg. cargo.

Medical: Exoskeleton Prototype 3 (EXO-UL3) was designed by Bionics Lab (University of California Santa Cruz, USA). EXO-UL3 is able to strengthen weak muscles of people, but the main difference is that it is controlled by neural signals from the human brain. This is due to non-invasive sensors that record neurosignals that give commands to human muscles. This design makes life easier for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, stroke survivors, etc., and also contributes to their rehabilitation, serving as a good simulator.

The NEUROExos model was developed at the BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy). NEUROExos was specifically designed as an orthopedic device (strength ES for rehabilitation). It consists of two frames (bodies) that fit the arm in the forearm area and are connected by a hinge mechanism. The frames have a double shell: the outer one is made of carbon fiber, and the inner one is made of thermoformed plastic (polyvinyl chloride). NEUROExos is used in rehabilitation, as an assistant physiotherapist when performing exercises for neurorehabilitation of the upper limb of patients after a stroke.

Power Assist Suit (or model Y), manufactured by Activelink Co. (Panasonic Corporation, Japan). This ES is notable for the fact that it is intended to help medical staff: nurses and physiotherapists of hospitals (clinics) for their safe movement of patients (ascent and descent) who are unable to move independently (stroke, injuries, etc.). It has the shape of an inverted Y and is worn on the user's chest and hips. Made of carbon composites and equipped with electric motors, and smart electronics track human movement in conjunction with engine synchronization to provide support and counteract unwanted loads.

ExoAtlet is a domestic instrument of robotic mechanotherapy developed by the Lomonosov Moscow State University Research Institute of Mechanics and the Russian company ExoAtlet LLC. Designed for social adaptation and medical rehabilitation of patients with motor disorders of the lower extremities due to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, operations, etc. It is a motorized frame (weight - 23 kg.), which is fixed to the body. The movements of the ES are formed by electric motors located in the knee and femoral modules. In the combined use of the medical rehabilitation technique with ExoAtlet and the Lokomat robotic complex, an increase in the patient's muscle strength was noted, which was previously reduced due to damage to the motor pathway of the nervous system, etc.

Undoubtedly, the results of the presented review make it possible to understand the prospects for further application of ES as an addition to the tools for solving problems in the military and medical industries. It should be noted that the examples of the use of ES described in this work are of a scientific and practical nature and are designed to contribute to the knowledge base for the development and promotion of this unique wearable robotic device in the system of military logistics and medical rehabilitation.

Smirnov S.V. Overview of selective application of exoskeletons for army and medical tasks. Science Intensive Technologies. 2026. V. 27. № 3. P. 72−86. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.18127/j19998465-202603-09 (in Russian)

1. Loskutov Yu.V., Kapustin A.V., Klyuzhev K.S., Kudryavcev A.I., Loskutov M.Yu., Fadeev A.M. Komp'yuternoe modelirovanie regulyarnoj hod'by na osnove kinematicheskogo analiza dvizhenij i sinteza algoritmov upravleniya ekzoskeleta. Vestnik Povolzhskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnologicheskogo universiteta. Ser.: Radiotekhnicheskie i infokommunikacionnye sistemy. 2017. № 3 (35). S. 47–60 (in Russian)
2. Vorob'ev A.A., Andryushchenko F.A., Zasypkina O.A., Solov'eva I.O., Krivonozhkina P.S., Pozdnyakov A.M. Terminologiya i klassifikaciya ekzoskeletov. Vestnik VolgGMU. 2015. Vyp. 3(55). S. 71–78 (in Russian).
3. Chernenko G. Rossijskij Edison. Tekhnika molodezhi. 2010. № 2. S. 22–25 (in Russian).
4. Muedinov R.Yu., Nesterov V.O., Starovojtova A.A. Inzhenernye novshestva v mire za poslednie desyatiletiya. Sbornik statej po materialam nauch.-issled. rabot. vestnika nauchno-tekhnicheskogo tvorchestva molodezhi Kubanskogo GAU. V 4 t. T. 2: KubGAU, 2017. S. 38–40 (in Russian).
5. Exoskeletons History part 3 URL: https://www.mechatech.co.uk/journal/exoskeletons-history-part-3 (data obrashcheniya: 24.09.2025).
6. Makinson B.J. Research and Development Prototype for Machine Augmentation of Human Strength and Endurance. Hardiman I Project. Technical Report 196. National Technical Information Service (NTIS): Schenectady. New York. USA. 1971.
7. Weiss P. Dances with Robots. Science News. 2001. V. 159. № 26. P.407–408.
8. Ali H. Bionic Exoskeleton: History, Development and the Future. IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE), International Conference on Advances in Engineering & Technology 2014 (ICAET-2014) 2014. P. 58–62.
9. Vukobratović M. Active exoskeletal systems and beginning of the developement of humanoid robotics. Facta universitatis-series: Mechanics, Automatic Control and Robotics. 2008. V. 7. № Special. P. 243–262.
10. Gur'yanov A.A., Garkusha N.A. Ekzoskelet. Proshloe, nastoyashchee i budushchee superkostyumov. Language & Science. 2018, № 7. URL: https://elib.utmn.ru/jspui/bitstream/ru-tsu/21373/1/ Guryanov_Garkusha_Ekzoskelet.pdf (data obrashcheniya: 26.09.2025) (in Russian).
11. Yoshikawa K., Mutsuzaki H., Sano A. et al. Training with hybrid assistive limb for walking function after total knee arthroplasty. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2018. V. 13. P. 163.
12. Smirnov S.V. Primenenie novyh tekhnologij v voennoj sfere i pri likvidacii chrezvychajnyh situacij. Sbornik izbrannyh statej mezhdunarodnoj nauchnoj konferencii «Perspektivnye issledovaniya v sovremennom mire». SPb.: MIPI im. Lomonosova. 2024. S. 35–38 (in Russian).
13. Raytheon Sarcos XOS 2: eshche odin ekzoskelet dlya voennyh URL: https://nnd.name/2010/09/raytheon-sarcos-xos-2-eshhe-odin-ekzoskelet-dlya-voennyx/(data obrashcheniya: 27.09.2025) (in Russian).
14. Smirnov S.V. Primenenie ekzoskeletov v voennoj sfere. Sb. statej 7-j Mezhdunar. nauch. konf. «Postroenie mezhotraslevyh nauchnyh vzaimodejstvij v sovremennyh usloviyah» (Sankt-Peterburg, 2024). Surgut: GNII «Nacrazvitie». 2024. S. 20–24 (in Russian).
15. Sarcos Robotics Partners with Delta Air Lines to Test Exoskeleton URL: https://www.newequipment.com/industry-trends/article/21120551/sarcos-robotics-partners-with-delta-air-lines-to-test-exoskeleton (data obrashcheniya: 28.09.2025).
16. Garaev A.Z., Teshchaev I.A. Primenenie ekzoskeletov v komplekse vooruzheniya sovremennyh vojsk mira. Sbornik statej V Mezhdunarodnoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii «Material'no-tekhnicheskoe obespechenie silovyh struktur gosudarstva». v 2-h chastyah. Ch.1. Perm': PVI VNG RF, 2018. S. 109–114 (in Russian).
17. Li X., Ren S., Gu F. Medical internet of things to realize elderly stroke prevention and nursing management. Journal of Healthcare Engineering, 2021. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ 10.1155/2021/9989602 (data obrashcheniya: 05.10.2025).
18. Carlo Kopp. Exoskeletons for warriors of the future. Defence Today. 2011. V. 9. № 2 (2011). P. 38–40.
19. Kalinichev B. Razrabotka v SShA ekzoskeletnyh konstrukcij dlya voennosluzhashchih. Zarubezhnoe voennoe obozrenie. 2017. № 6. S. 47–49 (in Russian).
20. Baldwin R. Exoskeleton Legs Promise Superhero Strength URL: https://www.wired.com/2012/02/exoskeleton-legs-promise-superhero-strength/ (data obrashcheniya: 15.10.2025)
21. Burns M., Zavoda Z., Nataraj R., Pochiraju K., Vinjamuri R. HERCULES: A Three Degree-of-Freedom Pneumatic Upper Limb Exoskeleton for Stroke Rehabilitation. 42nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC). Montreal. QC. Canada. 2020. P. 4959–4962.
22. Baker B. France’s slender Hercule exoskeleton is no lightweight URL: https://www.army-technology.com/features/featurefrench-hercule-robotic-exoskeleton/ (data obrashcheniya: 18.10.2025).
23. Hizhnyak N. V etom godu rossijskie voennye poluchat pervyj serijnyj armejskij ekzoskelet URL: https://hi-news.ru/technology/v-etom-godu-rossijskie-voennye-poluchat-pervyj-serijnyj-armejskij-ekzoskelet.html (data obrashcheniya: 24.12.2025) (in Russian)
24. Yuferev S. Komplekt ekipirovki «Ratnik» poluchit ekzoskelet i umnyj shlem https://topwar.ru/154332-komplekt-jekipirovki-ratnik-poluchit-jekzoskelet-i-umnyj-shlem.html (data obrashcheniya: 26.12.2025) (in Russian).
25. Aktivnyj ekzoskelet dlya armii odno iz vazhnejshih napravlenij raboty CNIITOChMASh po sovershenstvovaniyu boevoj ekipirovki voennosluzhashchego URL: https://cniitm.ru/news/477/ (data obrashcheniya: 26.12.2025) (in Russian).
26. Yacun S.F., Savin S.I., Emel'yanova O.V., Yacun A.S., Turlapov R.N. EKZOSKELETY: Analiz konstrukcij, principy sozdaniya, osnovy modelirovaniya: monografiya. V 2 ch. Ch.1. Kursk: Yugo-Zapadnyj gos. un-t. 2015. 179 s. (in Russian).
27. Koc A. Zheleznyj chelovek. Na chto sposoben rossijskij armejskij ekzoskelet URL: https://ria.ru/20190123/1549734654.html (data obrashcheniya: 04.06.2026) (in Russian).
28. Reulov R.V., Stukalin S.V., Gorbunov V.V. Metodicheskij podhod k ocenke realizuemosti meropriyatij gosudarstvennoj programmy vooruzheniya s tochki zreniya obespechennosti neobhodimymi materialami. Vooruzhenie i ekonomika. 2020. № 4(54). S. 54–61 (in Russian).
29. Kostyum sverhcheloveka: chto takoe medicinskij ekzoskelet i zachem on nuzhen. URL: https://reamed.su/media/articles/kostyum-sverkhcheloveka-chto-takoe-meditsinskiy-ekzoskelet-i-zachem-on-nuzhen/ (data obrashcheniya: 09.01.2026) (in Russian).
30. Sebbag E., Felten R., Sagez F. et al. The world-wide burden of musculoskeletal diseases: a systematic analysis of the World Health Organization Burden of Diseases Database. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. London. 2019. V. 78. Ed. 6. P. 844–848.
31. Feigin V.L., Brainin M., Norrving B., Martins S. et al. World Stroke Organization (WSO): Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2022. International Journal of Stroke. 2022. V. 17 (1). P. 18–29.
32. Kubota T. Stanford engineers find ankle exoskeletons can greatly increase walking speed URL: https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2021/ 04/ankle-exoskeleton-enables-faster-walking (data obrashcheniya: 12.01.2026).
33. Yacun S.F., Yacun A.S., Mal'chikov A.V., Karlov A.E. Modeli i algoritmy upravleniya ekzoskeletami promyshlennogo naznacheniya: monografiya. Kursk: Yugo-Zap. gos. un-t. 2021. 143 s. (in Russian).
34. Rosen J., Milutinovi´c D., Miller L., Simkins M., Kim H., Li Z. Unilateral and Bilateral Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb Following Stroke via an Exoskeleton. Neuro-robotics: From brain machine interfaces to rehabilitation robotics: Springer Netherlands. 2014. P. 405–446.
35. Smirnov S.V. Novye tekhnologii pomogayut cheloveku. Sbornik statej Mezhdunarodnoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii «Novaya nauka: istoriya stanovleniya, sovremennoe sostoyanie, perspektivy razvitiya». Ufa: OOO «AETERNA». 2024. Ch. 2. S. 84–90 (in Russian).
36. Vitiello N., Lenzi T., Roccella S. et al. NEUROExos: A Powered Elbow Exoskeleton for Physical Rehabilitation. IEEE Trans. on Rob. 2013. V. 29(1). P. 220–235.
37. Cempini M., Giovacchini F., Vitiello N., Cortese M., Moisé M., Posteraro F., Carrozza M.C. NEUROExos: a Elbow Orthosis for Post-Stroke Early Neurorehabilitation. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference EMBC’13. Osaka. Japan. 2013. P. 342–345.
38. Crea S., Cempini M., Mazzoleni S., Carrozza M.C., Posteraro F., Vitiello N. Phase-II Clinical Validation of a Powered Exoskeleton for the Treatment of Elbow Spasticity. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2017. V.11. URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/ 10.3389/fnins.2017.00261/pdf (data obrashcheniya: 16.01.2026).
39. O’Connor S. Exoskeletons in Nursing and Healthcare: A Bionic Future. Clinical Nursing Research. 2021. V. 30 (8). P. 1123–1126.
40. Yoshimitsu T., Yamamoto K. Development of a power assist suit for nursing work. SICE 2004 Annual Conference. IEEE. 2004. V. 1. P. 577–580.
41. Smirnov S.V. Primenenie ekzoskeletov v medicinskoj sfere. Flagman nauki. 2024. №10(21). S. 274–277 (in Russian).
42. Galiullina D.T., Zagidullin I.I. Peredovye tekhnologii v paralimpijskom sporte. Tendencii razvitiya nauki i obrazovaniya. 2024. № 111 (Chast' 5). S. 66–68 (in Russian).
43. Kishimoto K., Nakano M. Human Movement Tracking Method of Powered Wear Which Is Used in Competition Management. Panasonic Technical Journal. 2019. V. 65. № 2. P. 119–120.
44. Kotov S.V., Isakova E.V. i dr. Metodicheskie rekomendacii po nejroreabilitacii bol'nyh rasseyannym sklerozom, imeyushchih narusheniya hod'by, s ispol'zovaniem ekzoskeleta ExoAtlet: ucheb. posobie. M.: MONIKI im. M.F. Vladimirskogo. 2018. 26 s. (in Russian)
45. Medicinskij reabilitacionnyj ekzoskelet ExoAtlet (EkzoAtlet) URL: https://atlantmedical.ru/product/189?ysclid=m20kdjjfm6711796291 (data obrashcheniya: 04.02.2026) (in Russian).
46. Tkachenko P.V. Rekonstrukciya hod'by s primeneniem ekzoskeleta v reabilitacii bol'nyh s posledstviyami travmy spinnogo mozga: Dis. … kand. med. nauk. M. 2018. 123 s. (in Russian)
47. Gevorkyan A.A. Primenenie robotizirovannyh i mekhanoterapevticheskih ustrojstv v kompleksnoj terapii bol'nyh s rasseyannym sklerozom: Dis. … kand. med. nauk. M. 2022. 208 s. (in Russian)
48. Prikaz Minzdrava Rossii ot 31.07.2020 № 788n «Ob utverzhdenii Poryadka organizacii medicinskoj reabilitacii vzroslyh». URL: https://base.garant.ru/74681688/ (data obrashcheniya: 04.02.2026) (in Russian).
49. Spiegel R. Kevin Piette Carried the Olympic Torch Via a Robotic Exoskeleton URL: https://www.designnews.com/automation/kevin-piette-carried-the-olympic-torch-via-a-robotic-exoskeleton (data obrashcheniya: 26.01.2026)
50. Walk Again ProjectTM URL: https://www.walkagainproject.org/ (data obrashcheniya: 30.01.2026)