Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton and Limb Angle Biofeedback for Assisting Stroke Gait: A Feasibility Study

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Biomechanics
• Robotics

Background:

• Stroke survivors often experience impaired gait, characterized by slowness, instability, and increased energy cost.
• Robotic ankle exoskeletons show promise in improving gait, but optimal assistance requires correct lower limb positioning.
• Biofeedback interfaces can guide limb positioning for enhanced robotic exoskeleton therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of robotic ankle exoskeletons and vibrotactile-audio biofeedback for improving post-stroke gait.
• To determine if combining these interventions yields synergistic benefits over individual use.

Main Methods:

• Four stroke survivors participated in the study.
• Participants used bilateral powered robotic ankle exoskeletons (Dephy Exoboots) and a custom biofeedback interface targeting trailing limb angle.
• Gait outcomes were compared across baseline, biofeedback-only, exoskeleton-only, and combined intervention conditions.

Main Results:

• Both biofeedback-only and combined interventions increased paretic propulsive impulse compared to baseline.
• Biofeedback alone resulted in the greatest increase in self-selected walking speed.
• The combination of exoskeleton and biofeedback yielded greater speed improvements than the exoskeleton alone.

Conclusions:

• Robotic ankle exoskeletons and biofeedback are viable tools for stroke gait rehabilitation.
• Combining robotic exoskeletons with biofeedback offers synergistic benefits for gait performance in stroke survivors.
• This integrated approach may lead to more effective recovery of gait function.