Powered Hip Exoskeleton Assistance Study
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Lower Limb Injury
In brief
The increased metabolic and biomechanical demands of ambulation limit community mobility in persons with lower limb disability due to neurological damage. There is a critical need for improving the locomotion capabilities of individuals who have walking impairments due to disease to increase their community mobility, independence, and health. Robotic exoskeletons have the potential to assist these individuals by increasing community mobility to improve quality of life. While these devices have incredible potential, current technology does not support dynamic movements common with locomotion such as transitioning between different gaits and supporting a wide variety of walking speeds. One significant challenge in achieving community ambulation with exoskeletons is providing an adaptive control system to accomplish a wide variety of locomotor tasks. Many exoskeletons today are developed without a detailed understanding of the effect of the device on the human musculoskeletal system. This research is interested in studying the question of how the control system affects human biomechanics including kinematic, kinetics and muscle activation patterns. By optimizing exoskeleton controllers based on human biomechanics and adapting control based on task, the biggest benefit to patient populations will be achieved to help advance the state-of-the-art with assistive hip exoskeletons.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT03924752
- Run by
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- People needed
- 10
- Starts
- 2021-02-13
- Expected to finish
- 2021-03-15
- Last updated by the study team
- 2022-02-08
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Between 18-85 years of age
- Subjects should be capable of walking, ascending/descending stairs and ramps with full capability in lower extremity passive range of motion (knee flexion contracture of >10 degrees, knee flexion ROM < 90 degrees, hip flexion contracture < 25 degrees, and ankle plantar flexion contracture of >15 degrees).
- Subjects must be able to walk for at least 5 minutes and willing and able to participate over a 1-6 hours experiment with breaks and rest enforced regularly and as needed.
- Subjects must be able to transfer (sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit) with no external support (arm rests OK) and to ambulate over small slopes (3 degrees) and a few steps (6 steps).
You may not qualify if…
- History of neurological injury, gait pathology, or cardiovascular condition that would limit your ability to ambulate for multiple hours.
Where it is running
- Exoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls Lab — Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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