Powered prostheses pick up the activity of the remaining muscles to control a hand, an elbow or a knee. Exoskeletons are worn over the body and assist the movement of the legs or arms.
The former replace a missing limb, the latter support a weakened one, notably during rehabilitation. In both cases sensors, motors and software work together.
Learning matters as much as the technology: it takes time, personal fitting and follow-up by professionals before the device becomes a natural gesture.
Weight, battery life, maintenance and cost remain obstacles. Settings increasingly go through an app, whose accessibility then becomes part of the device itself.