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Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
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Overground Walking With a Transparent Exoskeleton Shows Changes in Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters.
Rafhael M Andrade1,2, Stefano Sapienza2, Abolfazl Mohebbi3
1Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversidade Federal do Espirito Santo Vitória Espirito Santo 29075 Brazil.
IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine
|December 13, 2023
Summary
This study shows that transparent lower-limb gait training (GT) exoskeletons reduce user-robot interaction torque. While stride length remained similar, cadence changed significantly, suggesting users adapt gait for balance during overground walking.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Biomechanics
- Rehabilitation Engineering
Background:
- Lower-limb gait training (GT) exoskeletons aid rehabilitation but struggle with precise user-assistance.
- Transparent operation in treadmill systems improves interaction, but effects on overground walking are unknown.
- Overground walking requires active user stability, unlike treadmill-based systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a transparent operation strategy on user gait kinematics during overground walking with an exoskeleton.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a feedback zero-torque controller with feedforward compensation for exoskeleton dynamics and actuator impedance.
Main Methods:
- Implemented a transparent operation strategy on the ExoRoboWalker overground GT exoskeleton.
- Collected gait data from five healthy subjects in three conditions: transparent exoskeleton (ExoTransp), non-transparent exoskeleton (ExoOff), and no exoskeleton (NoExo).
- Analyzed user-robot interaction torque and gait kinematics, including stride length and cadence.
Main Results:
- The transparent controller significantly reduced user-robot interaction torque compared to the non-transparent mode.
- No significant difference in stride length was found between transparent exoskeleton walking and walking without an exoskeleton.
- A significant difference in cadence was observed between transparent exoskeleton walking and walking without an exoskeleton, but not between transparent and non-transparent exoskeleton modes.
Conclusions:
- Transparent operation in lower-limb GT exoskeletons can reduce interaction torque and influence gait kinematics.
- Users may adapt their gait, altering spatiotemporal characteristics like cadence, to maintain balance when using an exoskeleton during overground walking.
- Findings suggest that transparent exoskeletons may facilitate more natural gait adaptation in rehabilitation settings.
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