This study evaluates the effectiveness of superficial electromyography (sEMG) in the development of biocontrolled exoskeletons, through an analysis based on the findings of foreign and domestic literature on the subject. A brief historical background is provided. The features reviewed include the registration, processing and analysis of the signals from superficial electromyograms in respect of biocontrol. It is demonstrated that testing exoskeleton devices in association with sEMG provides an informative analytical tool for assisting in the optimization of exoskeleton design in order to reduce the metabolic "cost" of locomotion. The use of signals from superficial myograms during the operation of an exoskeleton have also been reviewed. The role of myography in studies of the fundamental physical processes involved while adapting to an exoskeleton is described. We conclude that the potential for the use of sEMG in respect of biocontrol is related to the new technical and mathematical possibilities available for the registration, transformation and classification of bioelectrical signals from the muscles, and the isolation of their patterns of muscular activity.

In rehabilitation of patients who have lost their ability to move independently due to the paralysis of lower limbs, using exoskeletons is a perspective direction. In recent years a great number of robotic devices improving walking of people with lower paraparesis have been developed. However, their comparison is hindered since there are no standardized approaches to the assessment of their efficiency and safety. In this review, general principles of evaluating external robotic devices have been presented, and methods of determining safety and convenience of exoskeleton usage have been analyzed. Assessment of qualitative and quantitative parameters of exoskeletonassisted walking has also been considered. The characteristic of the questionnaires, standard tests and biochemical investigations, which are used in approbation of exoskeletal devices in people with paraplegia has been presented. Possible ways of evaluating energy expenditure when moving in exoskeletons are shown. The need of elaborating a unified evaluation strategy of walking in exoskeletons has been substantiated.Key words: exoskeleton; assessment of walking; approbation of exoskeleton devices; paralysis of the lower limbs.

The development of new rehabilitation approaches to neurological and traumatological patients requires understanding of normal and pathological movement patterns. Biomechanical analysis of video images is the most accurate method of investigation and quantitative assessment of human normal and pathological locomotion. The review of currently available methods and systems of optical human motion analysis used in clinical practice is presented here. Short historical background is provided. Locomotion kinematics analysis using passive marker based systems is reviewed with special attention to the gait analysis. Clinical application of optical motion capture and analysis systems in the diagnosis of locomotion impairment, in Parkinson's disease with movement control disorders, stroke sequelae, monitoring of motor function rehabilitation in patients with infantile cerebral paralysis, limb joint endo-and exoprosthetics and some other disorders is described.