Human-like Robotic Controllers for Enhanced Motor Learning

NCT ID: NCT04578665

Last Updated: 2025-05-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 764 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-07-13
• Study Completion Date: 2025-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to develop a new paradigm to understand how humans physically interact with each other at a single and at multiple joints, with multiple contact points, so as to synthesize robot controllers that can exhibit human-like behavior when interacting with humans (e.g., exoskeleton) or other co-robots. The investigators will develop models for a single joint robot (i.e. at the ankle joint) that can vary its haptic behavioral interactions at variable impedances, and replicate in a multi-joint robot (i.e. at the ankle, knee, and hip joints). The investigators will collect data from healthy participants and clinical populations to create a controller based on our models to implement in the robots. Then, the investigators will test our models via the robots to investigate the mechanisms underlying enhanced motor learning during different human-human haptic interaction behaviors (i.e. collaboration, competition, and cooperation. This study will be carried out in healthy participants, participants post-stroke, and participants with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Detailed Description

The investigators will look at how the task performance and motor performance of individuals in dyadic physical interactions are affected by 1) different behavioral interaction conditions (i.e., solo task, collaboration task, competition task, or cooperation task); 2) the haptic impedance or stiffness of the virtual connection between dyadic peers (i.e., hard connection, medium connection, or soft connection); and 3) the skill level of the other partner (i.e., novice or expert). The investigators will be using both an ankle robot (M1 device) and a bilateral lower limb exoskeleton (H3/X2 device), and will collect EMG and EEG data.

For Experiment A , the investigators will recruit healthy volunteers (n = 180) to work in dyadic pairs. With the collected data, the investigators will model how humans adapt force and impedance and share roles/specialize during various dyadic interaction behaviors, and use this knowledge to develop robot controllers that mimic movement error and force adaptation for enhanced motor performance.

For Experiment B , the investigators will recruit healthy volunteers (n = 260), participants post-stroke (n = 88) and participants post-SCI (n = 88) to work in dyadic pairs within each population. The investigators will test the robot controllers following the models for mechanical adaptation and role sharing strategies between peers based on Experiment A. The investigators will also monitor single-joint and multi-joint movement error and force adaptation in regards to enhanced motor performance. The investigators will assess if the robot controllers can pass a "haptic Turing Test", rendering them indistinguishable with respect to human peers. A structural MRI will be obtained to be used for EEG source analysis.

For Experiment C, the investigators will showcase the robot controllers by interfacing with participants post-stroke (n = 4) and participants post-SCI (n = 4) with the single-joint and multi-joint assistive robots to observe motor learning and functional outcomes with 10 training sessions per robot.

Conditions

Stroke; Spinal Cord Injuries

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Healthy Participants Ankle Robot (M1)

The investigators will look at how the task performance and motor performance of individuals in dyadic physical interactions are affected.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral Interaction Conditions

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The participants will be single-blinded and complete a tracking task as either: solo task, collaboration task (both participants work on a common task synchronously to achieve a goal; this is a summative effort to achieve the goal), competition task (each participant has to achieve a goal at the expense of his or her partner, therefore maximizing effort or error of the partner in reaching the goal), or cooperation task (an asymmetric partnership with an active partner and a passive partner working towards a goal).

Haptic Impedance Level

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete their task at 3 impedance levels: high (a virtual stiffness 160-200 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a stiff connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected via rigid links and each subject will perceive the other partner's movement directly), medium (a virtual stiffness 100-140 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like-connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two participants), and soft (a virtual stiffness 40-80 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a loose spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two subjects, however, this force will be smaller than that of the medium impedance).

Skill Level of Partner

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

There will be two skill levels: novice (a participant who has no prior experience with the trajectory tracking experiment; in testing with the clinical populations, the investigators will assign this condition to the clinical participant) and expert (a participant who is experienced with the trajectory tracking experiment and who can achieve a tracking error \[difference of the desired trajectory and actual trajectory\] below a certain threshold; in testing with the clinical population, the investigators will assign this condition to the therapist). Participants will start experimentation paired as novice-novice, and at the end of the session may be invited to continue additional sessions to be paired as the expert in a novice-expert dyad.

Healthy Participants Bilateral Lower Limb Exoskeleton (H3/X2)

The investigators will look at how the task performance and motor performance of individuals in dyadic physical interactions are affected.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral Interaction Conditions

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The participants will be single-blinded and complete a tracking task as either: solo task, collaboration task (both participants work on a common task synchronously to achieve a goal; this is a summative effort to achieve the goal), competition task (each participant has to achieve a goal at the expense of his or her partner, therefore maximizing effort or error of the partner in reaching the goal), or cooperation task (an asymmetric partnership with an active partner and a passive partner working towards a goal).

Haptic Impedance Level

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete their task at 3 impedance levels: high (a virtual stiffness 160-200 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a stiff connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected via rigid links and each subject will perceive the other partner's movement directly), medium (a virtual stiffness 100-140 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like-connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two participants), and soft (a virtual stiffness 40-80 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a loose spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two subjects, however, this force will be smaller than that of the medium impedance).

Skill Level of Partner

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

There will be two skill levels: novice (a participant who has no prior experience with the trajectory tracking experiment; in testing with the clinical populations, the investigators will assign this condition to the clinical participant) and expert (a participant who is experienced with the trajectory tracking experiment and who can achieve a tracking error \[difference of the desired trajectory and actual trajectory\] below a certain threshold; in testing with the clinical population, the investigators will assign this condition to the therapist). Participants will start experimentation paired as novice-novice, and at the end of the session may be invited to continue additional sessions to be paired as the expert in a novice-expert dyad.

Clinical Populations Ankle Robot (M1)

The investigators will look at how the task performance and motor performance of individuals in dyadic physical interactions are affected.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral Interaction Conditions

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The participants will be single-blinded and complete a tracking task as either: solo task, collaboration task (both participants work on a common task synchronously to achieve a goal; this is a summative effort to achieve the goal), competition task (each participant has to achieve a goal at the expense of his or her partner, therefore maximizing effort or error of the partner in reaching the goal), or cooperation task (an asymmetric partnership with an active partner and a passive partner working towards a goal).

Haptic Impedance Level

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete their task at 3 impedance levels: high (a virtual stiffness 160-200 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a stiff connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected via rigid links and each subject will perceive the other partner's movement directly), medium (a virtual stiffness 100-140 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like-connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two participants), and soft (a virtual stiffness 40-80 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a loose spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two subjects, however, this force will be smaller than that of the medium impedance).

Skill Level of Partner

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

There will be two skill levels: novice (a participant who has no prior experience with the trajectory tracking experiment; in testing with the clinical populations, the investigators will assign this condition to the clinical participant) and expert (a participant who is experienced with the trajectory tracking experiment and who can achieve a tracking error \[difference of the desired trajectory and actual trajectory\] below a certain threshold; in testing with the clinical population, the investigators will assign this condition to the therapist). Participants will start experimentation paired as novice-novice, and at the end of the session may be invited to continue additional sessions to be paired as the expert in a novice-expert dyad.

Robot Controller Showcase

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete 10 training sessions per assistive robot for the researchers to observe motor learning and functional outcomes.

Clinical Populations Bilateral Lower Limb Exoskeleton (H3/X2)

The investigators will look at how the task performance and motor performance of individuals in dyadic physical interactions are affected.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral Interaction Conditions

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The participants will be single-blinded and complete a tracking task as either: solo task, collaboration task (both participants work on a common task synchronously to achieve a goal; this is a summative effort to achieve the goal), competition task (each participant has to achieve a goal at the expense of his or her partner, therefore maximizing effort or error of the partner in reaching the goal), or cooperation task (an asymmetric partnership with an active partner and a passive partner working towards a goal).

Haptic Impedance Level

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete their task at 3 impedance levels: high (a virtual stiffness 160-200 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a stiff connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected via rigid links and each subject will perceive the other partner's movement directly), medium (a virtual stiffness 100-140 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like-connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two participants), and soft (a virtual stiffness 40-80 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a loose spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two subjects, however, this force will be smaller than that of the medium impedance).

Skill Level of Partner

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

There will be two skill levels: novice (a participant who has no prior experience with the trajectory tracking experiment; in testing with the clinical populations, the investigators will assign this condition to the clinical participant) and expert (a participant who is experienced with the trajectory tracking experiment and who can achieve a tracking error \[difference of the desired trajectory and actual trajectory\] below a certain threshold; in testing with the clinical population, the investigators will assign this condition to the therapist). Participants will start experimentation paired as novice-novice, and at the end of the session may be invited to continue additional sessions to be paired as the expert in a novice-expert dyad.

Robot Controller Showcase

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The subjects will complete 10 training sessions per assistive robot for the researchers to observe motor learning and functional outcomes.

Interventions

Behavioral Interaction Conditions

The participants will be single-blinded and complete a tracking task as either: solo task, collaboration task (both participants work on a common task synchronously to achieve a goal; this is a summative effort to achieve the goal), competition task (each participant has to achieve a goal at the expense of his or her partner, therefore maximizing effort or error of the partner in reaching the goal), or cooperation task (an asymmetric partnership with an active partner and a passive partner working towards a goal).

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Haptic Impedance Level

The subjects will complete their task at 3 impedance levels: high (a virtual stiffness 160-200 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a stiff connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected via rigid links and each subject will perceive the other partner's movement directly), medium (a virtual stiffness 100-140 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like-connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two participants), and soft (a virtual stiffness 40-80 N/m and damping 0\~10 Nm/s; this will be a spring like connection in which the subjects feel like they are connected with a loose spring and each subject will perceive the other partner with a force that is proportional to the trajectory difference of the two subjects, however, this force will be smaller than that of the medium impedance).

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Skill Level of Partner

There will be two skill levels: novice (a participant who has no prior experience with the trajectory tracking experiment; in testing with the clinical populations, the investigators will assign this condition to the clinical participant) and expert (a participant who is experienced with the trajectory tracking experiment and who can achieve a tracking error \[difference of the desired trajectory and actual trajectory\] below a certain threshold; in testing with the clinical population, the investigators will assign this condition to the therapist). Participants will start experimentation paired as novice-novice, and at the end of the session may be invited to continue additional sessions to be paired as the expert in a novice-expert dyad.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Robot Controller Showcase

The subjects will complete 10 training sessions per assistive robot for the researchers to observe motor learning and functional outcomes.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age from 18 to 80 years
• No history of a brain and/or skull lesion
• Normal hearing and vision, can be corrected
• Able to understand and give informed consent
• No neurological disorders
• Absence of pathology that could cause abnormal movements of extremities (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, marked arthritis, chronic pain, musculoskeletal injuries)
• Able to understand and speak English
• Height between 3 foot 6 inches (1.1 meters) and 6 foot 2 inches

• Age from 18 to 80 years
• History of unilateral, supratentorial, ischemic or hemorrhage stroke greater than 6 month
• Ability to walk >10m independently on level ground, allowed to use assistive devices or bracing as needed
• Self-selected walking speed is less than 0.8 meters/sec
• Medically stable
• No concurrent surgeries, medical treatments, participation in research or outpatient therapy
• Normal hearing and vision, both can be corrected
• Able to understand and give informed consent
• Able to understand and speak English
• Height between 3 foot 6 inches (1.1 meters) and 6 foot 2 inches

• Age from 18 to 80 years
• History of incomplete SCI injury (ASIA C or D) > 6 months prior
• Ability to walk >10 m independently on level ground, allowed to use assistive devices or bracing as needed
• Self-selected walking speed is less than 0.8 meters/sec
• Medically stable
• No concurrent surgeries, medical treatments, participation in research or outpatient therapy
• Normal hearing and vision, both can be corrected
• Able to understand and give informed consent
• Able to understand and speak English
• Height between 3 foot 6 inches (1.1 meters) and 6 foot 2 inches

Exclusion Criteria

• Weight over 220 lbs
• Pregnancy (ruled out by pregnancy questionnaire)
• Current presence of wounds or pressure ulcers
• Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative disorder, severe dementia, brain injury, spinal cord injury, or cancer of the central nervous system
• History of significant head trauma (i.e., extended loss of consciousness, neurological sequelae)
• Known structural brain lesion
• Significant other disease (heart disease, malignant tumors, mental disorders)
• History or peripheral nerve injury
• History of sustained non-prescribed drug use or substance abuse (exception: current nicotine use is allowed)
• Prior neurosurgical procedures
• Inability or unwillingness to perform study-required activities
• Prisoners
• Unable to meet SRAlab "MRI Pre-Examination Screening Form" requirements

• Weight over 220 lbs
• Pregnancy (ruled out by pregnancy test)
• Botox (botulinum toxin) injection to lower limbs within the prior 3 months, or planned injection during study period.
• Current presence of wounds or pressure ulcers
• History of sustained non-prescribed drug use or substance abuse (exception: current nicotine use is allowed)
• Reduced cognitive function
• Severe aphasia
• Prisoners
• Co-existence of other neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative disorder, severe dementia, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or cancer of the central nervous system)
• History or peripheral nerve injury
• Severe hip, knee, or ankle arthritis
• Recent fracture or osteoporosis
• Significant spasticity in the lower limbs (≥3 on Modified Ashworth Scale)
• Medical (cardiac, renal, hepatic, oncological) or psychiatric disease that would interfere with study procedures
• Inability or unwillingness to perform study-required activities
• Unable to meet SRAlab "MRI Pre-Examination Screening Form" requirements

• Weight over 220 lbs
• Pregnancy (ruled out by pregnancy test)
• Botox (botulinum toxin) injection to lower limbs within the prior 3 months, or planned injection during study period
• Current presence of wounds or pressure ulcers
• History of sustained non-prescribed drug use or substance abuse (exception: current nicotine use is allowed)
• Prisoners
• Co-existence of other neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative disorder, severe dementia, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or cancer of the central nervous system)
• History of peripheral nerve injury
• Severe hip, knee, or ankle arthritis
• Recent fracture or osteoporosis
• Significant spasticity in the lower limbs ( ≥3 on Modified Ashworth Scale)
• Medical (cardiac, renal, hepatic, oncological) or psychiatric disease that would interfere with study procedures
• Inability or unwillingness to perform study-required activities
• Unable to meet SRAlab "MRI Pre-Examination Screening Form" requirements

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 80 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

U.S. National Science Foundation

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Jose Pons

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Jose Pons, Ph.D

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Locations

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Jose Pons, Ph.D

Role: CONTACT

jpons@sralab.org

312-238-4549

Grace Hoo, BS

Role: CONTACT

ghoo@sralab.org

312-238-4548

Facility Contacts

Jose Pons, Ph.D

Role: primary

jpons@sralab.org

312-238-4549

Grace Hoo, BS

Role: backup

ghoo@sralab.org

312-238-4548

Other Identifiers

STU00212684

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id