Due　to　their　advantages　of　high　durability,　low　labor　intensiveness　and　high　repeatability,　upper　limb　exoskeletons　have　become　promising　tools　in　stroke　rehabilitation.　The　act　of　decreasing　the　undesired　interactional　loads　caused　by　exoskeleton　incompatibility　remains　an　enormous　challenge　in　the　design　of　ergonomic　exoskeletons.　In　this　article,　a　novel　4-DOF　upper　limb　exoskeleton　that　is　kinematically　compatible　with　the　upper　limb　is　proposed.　A　prototype　of　the　proposed　exoskeleton　was　developed.　Subsequently,　the　interaction　forces,　torques　and　displacements　at　the　physical　human-exoskeleton　connection　interfaces　were　detected　under　static　and　dynamic　modes　to　quantitatively　evaluate　the　compatibility　of　the　exoskeleton.　The　results　indicated　that　the　proposed　exoskeleton　can　significantly　decrease　the　undesired　interactional　load　at　the　connective　interfaces,　and　its　ergonomic　design　was　found　to　be　effective;　thus,　this　exoskeleton　may　be　used　for　the　rehabilitation　of　human　upper　limbs.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd