Vibrotactile Feedback in Exoskeletons

NCT ID: NCT06306352

Last Updated: 2024-03-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

7 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-03-06

Study Completion Date

2023-06-21

Brief Summary

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This study aims to investigate the impact of providing discrete vibrotactile feedback related to weight shift and step initiation on exoskeleton use in individuals with motor-complete SCI.

Detailed Description

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Rationale: People with motor-complete spinal cord injury (SCI) lack motor function below the lesion level and are, thus, wheelchair-dependent. In recent years, wearable exoskeletons have emerged as potential mobility devices for this population. Although exoskeletons generate the basic motions for ambulation, postural stability must be maintained by the user. People with motor-complete SCI miss essential somatosensory perception, which affects their ability to maintain postural stability. Hence, walking in an exoskeleton is demanding, and crutches are necessary.

When sensory information of a specific system is lost, the lack of sensory information can be substituted by providing feedback to another sensory system. As sensory feedback has been shown to improve postural control in people missing essential sensory information, such sensory substitution may also be effectively incorporated in people with complete SCI using an exoskeleton.

Objective: The study aims to investigate the effect of vibrotactile feedback on exoskeleton use in people with motor-complete SCI.

Study design: The proposed study is an experimental study. The study protocol includes six sessions of 90 minutes spread over three weeks. Sessions one to five are dedicated to training to assess the effect of vibrotactile feedback on exoskeleton motor learning. Session six is dedicated to evaluation to assess the effect of vibrotactile feedback on exoskeleton motor control.

Conditions

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Spinal Cord Injuries

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Vibrotactile feedback

Participants will receive vibrotactile feedback in the ABLE Exoskeleton.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vibrotactile feedback

Intervention Type OTHER

The ABLE exoskeleton is accompanied by a vibrotactile feedback belt which users wear around their chest to receive real-time feedback during the double support phase. This feedback can assist them in their weight shift during the double support phase.

Interventions

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Vibrotactile feedback

The ABLE exoskeleton is accompanied by a vibrotactile feedback belt which users wear around their chest to receive real-time feedback during the double support phase. This feedback can assist them in their weight shift during the double support phase.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* SCI classification American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) A or B
* Minimally six months post-injury
* Prior experience with the ReWalk Exoskeleton, able to walk independently

Exclusion Criteria

* Pre-existing somatosensory problems before the SCI
* Visual or auditory issues that are not resolved with glasses or a hearing device
* Insufficient mastery of the Dutch language
* Contraindications related to the ABLE Exoskeleton
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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ABLE Human Motion S.L.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Sint Maartenskliniek

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Noël Keijsers

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sint Maartenskliniek

Locations

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Sint Maartenskliniek

Nijmegen, , Netherlands

Site Status

Countries

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Netherlands

Other Identifiers

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NL82999.091.22

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

1070

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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