Novice Users' Brain Activity and Biomechanics Change After Practicing Walking With an Ankle Exoskeleton

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Understanding cortical adaptations to exoskeleton use is crucial for developing intuitive assistive devices.
• Limited research exists on how the brain adjusts to exoskeleton-assisted locomotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cortical responses during exoskeleton-assisted walking.
• To examine the effect of familiarization on these cortical responses.

Main Methods:

• Electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and motion capture were used.
• Healthy participants walked at 1.2m/s with an ankle exoskeleton, with and without prior experience.

Main Results:

• Initial exoskeleton use led to significant biomechanical and cortical changes, increasing brain involvement.
• After brief familiarization, increased alpha band cortical power indicated reduced cortical engagement.

Conclusions:

• Exoskeleton-assisted walking involves dynamic cortical adjustments.
• Familiarization leads to more efficient neural processing during exoskeleton use.
• Findings can inform the design of more integrated exoskeleton systems.