Explorer: Safety and Usability of a Gait Exoskeleton for Children with Motor Disabilities in Natural Environments

Area of Science:

• Pediatric rehabilitation technology
• Assistive devices for motor disabilities
• Child development and physical activity

Background:

• Children with motor disabilities often face challenges in mobility and participation.
• Personal-use exoskeletons offer a potential solution to enhance independence.
• Real-world usability is crucial for the adoption of assistive technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety and usability of a personal exoskeleton for children with motor disabilities.
• To evaluate the device's performance in real-world home and community settings.
• To gather data on user satisfaction and device utilization.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, multicenter, open-label study involving 50 children (aged 2-17) with motor disabilities.
• Participants used the Explorer personal exoskeleton in their homes and communities over eight sessions.
• Safety was monitored via adverse events; usability assessed through donning time, assistance levels, user satisfaction (QUEST 2.0), and device usage metrics.

Main Results:

• The exoskeleton was used in 94% of planned sessions with no serious adverse events.
• High user satisfaction reported (median QUEST 2.0 score of 4/5), with average donning time of 4.7 minutes.
• Device usage was balanced between indoor (52.7%) and outdoor (47.3%) settings, averaging 21.2 minutes and 392 steps per session.

Conclusions:

• The pediatric exoskeleton demonstrates preliminary safety and usability in real-world environments for children with motor disabilities.
• The device shows potential to improve mobility and support participation in daily life.
• Findings align with recommendations for physical activity and child development frameworks.