Study Results
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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NOT_YET_RECRUITING
NA
90 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-02-15
2030-12-01
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Conditions
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Study Design
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NON_RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
TREATMENT
NONE
Study Groups
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Balance Disorders Group with Vibrotactile Stimulation via Balance Belt
Participants with balance disorders will wear a vibrotactile stimulation belt (Balance Belt) designed to provide compensatory cues to improve balance and mobility. Physiologic, kinematic, and behavioral responses will be assessed using methods such as the video head impulse test (vHIT), the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test (DVA), and wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors to measure gait kinematics.
BalanceBelt
The BalanceBelt is a lightweight, wearable device designed to assist individuals with balance impairments. It provides real-time vibrotactile feedback around the waist, which aligns with the user's posture and movements. By delivering sensory cues, the BalanceBelt aids users in maintaining stability and improving awareness of trunk tilt during daily activities. Its non-invasive design allows for continuous use and can be discreetly worn under clothing. The device aims to enhance safety, confidence, and independence for individuals with balance dysfunction, supporting both rehabilitation and long-term mobility improvements.
Healthy Controls Group (Age/Gender-Matched Participants Without Balance Disorders)
Participants in the Healthy Controls Group are age- and gender-matched individuals without balance disorders. These participants will serve as a comparison group and will not receive any interventions. The participant's physiologic, kinematic, and behavioral measures will be assessed using the same testing protocols as the experimental group, including the video head impulse test (vHIT), the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test (DVA), and clinical/kinematic evaluations using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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BalanceBelt
The BalanceBelt is a lightweight, wearable device designed to assist individuals with balance impairments. It provides real-time vibrotactile feedback around the waist, which aligns with the user's posture and movements. By delivering sensory cues, the BalanceBelt aids users in maintaining stability and improving awareness of trunk tilt during daily activities. Its non-invasive design allows for continuous use and can be discreetly worn under clothing. The device aims to enhance safety, confidence, and independence for individuals with balance dysfunction, supporting both rehabilitation and long-term mobility improvements.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Waist between 60 and 120 cm
* Intact vibration sensitivity around the waist
* Balance disorder and/or a diagnosis of ataxia or vestibular dysfunction (diagnosis based on imaging, clinical and family history, vestibular function tests, and/or genetic testing)
* Speak English
Exclusion Criteria
* Inability to stand or walk slowly without support in the light on a firm underground
* Neurological, ophthalmological and/or orthopedic disorders that hampers vestibular, oculomotor or gait and posture examination
18 Years
80 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Johns Hopkins University
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Jennifer Millar, MD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Johns Hopkins University
Locations
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Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Countries
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Central Contacts
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References
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Kingma H, Hougaard DD, van de Berg R. Subconscious vibrotactile stimulation improves mobility and balance in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy: adherence over 2 years. Front Neurol. 2024 Oct 8;15:1491195. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1491195. eCollection 2024.
Kingma H, Felipe L, Gerards MC, Gerits P, Guinand N, Perez-Fornos A, Demkin V, van de Berg R. Vibrotactile feedback improves balance and mobility in patients with severe bilateral vestibular loss. J Neurol. 2019 Sep;266(Suppl 1):19-26. doi: 10.1007/s00415-018-9133-z. Epub 2018 Dec 5.
Hegeman J, Honegger F, Kupper M, Allum JH. The balance control of bilateral peripheral vestibular loss subjects and its improvement with auditory prosthetic feedback. J Vestib Res. 2005;15(2):109-17.
Dozza M, Chiari L, Horak FB. Audio-biofeedback improves balance in patients with bilateral vestibular loss. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Jul;86(7):1401-3. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2004.12.036.
Chiari L, Dozza M, Cappello A, Horak FB, Macellari V, Giansanti D. Audio-biofeedback for balance improvement: an accelerometry-based system. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2005 Dec;52(12):2108-11. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2005.857673.
Guyot JP, Perez Fornos A, Guinand N, van de Berg R, Stokroos R, Kingma H. Vestibular assistance systems: promises and challenges. J Neurol. 2016 Apr;263 Suppl 1:S30-5. doi: 10.1007/s00415-015-7922-1. Epub 2016 Apr 15.
Beylergil SB, Karmali F, Wang W, Bermudez Rey MC, Merfeld DM. Vestibular roll tilt thresholds partially mediate age-related effects on balance. Prog Brain Res. 2019;248:249-267. doi: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.04.019. Epub 2019 May 24.
Lucieer F, Vonk P, Guinand N, Stokroos R, Kingma H, van de Berg R. Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction: Insights in Etiologies, Clinical Subtypes, and Diagnostics. Front Neurol. 2016 Mar 4;7:26. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00026. eCollection 2016.
Starkov D, Strupp M, Pleshkov M, Kingma H, van de Berg R. Diagnosing vestibular hypofunction: an update. J Neurol. 2021 Jan;268(1):377-385. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-10139-4. Epub 2020 Aug 7.
van Stiphout L, Szmulewicz DJ, Guinand N, Fornos AP, Van Rompaey V, van de Berg R. Bilateral vestibulopathy: a clinical update and proposed diagnostic algorithm. Front Neurol. 2023 Dec 19;14:1308485. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1308485. eCollection 2023.
Related Links
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Website of the BalanceBelt device
Other Identifiers
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IRB00530950
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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