Development of a Real-time Controller to Estimate Walking Performance Using a Bilateral Ankle Exoskeleton

Official title

Controller Development to Enable Individualized Assistance in Robotic Ankle Exoskeletons

Overview

This study is developing and testing a new controller for a robotic ankle exoskeleton (Biomotum) that can adjust itself in real time to better support people while they walk. The system learns how each person moves and automatically changes the amount and timing of assistance to make walking feel easier and more efficient. By using information from the person wearing the device, the exoskeleton can quickly find the level of support that works best for them. The long-term goal is to create personalized walking assistance that can help people with mobility limitations move more comfortably and with less effort.

Detailed description

This project aims to develop and test a real-time adaptive controller for a robotic ankle exoskeleton (Biomotum) that personalizes assistance to each user by minimizing metabolic cost and optimizing muscle activation patterns during walking. Using human-in-the-loop optimization and advanced musculoskeletal modeling, the controller will dynamically adjust torque magnitude and timing to achieve optimal performance more quickly than current methods.

Interventions

• Device Adaptive Torque Control System for Ankle Exoskeleton
  This intervention uses a robotic ankle exoskeleton equipped with a real-time adaptive controller that adjusts plantarflexion torque based on each participant's walking mechanics. Unlike standard exoskeleton controllers that use fixed or pre-programmed assistance levels, this system employs human-in-the-loop optimization to continuously update torque magnitude and timing during treadmill walking. The controller integrates metabolic estimations, kinematic data, and musculoskeletal modeling to iden

Primary outcome measures

• Successful Real-Time Operation of the Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Controller [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]

Secondary outcome measures (5)

• Net Metabolic Rate During Exoskeleton-Assisted Walking Measured by Indirect Calorimetry [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Estimated Metabolic Rate Derived From Joint-Space Musculoskeletal Modeling [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Estimated Lower-Limb Muscle Activation Derived From Joint-Space Musculoskeletal Modeling [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Lower-Limb Muscle Activation Measured by Surface Electromyography During Walking [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• During treadmill walking trials conducted at a single study visit [Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• able to walk independently on a treadmill for 10 minutes,
• free of neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary, or musculoskeletal conditions that limit walking and exercising,
• no current lower extremity pain or injury,
• able to wear an exoskeleton and safety harness, can provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• history of neurological disease that affected gait or balance,
• current or recent lower extremity musculoskeletal injury or surgery,
• chronic lower extremity pain during walking,
• inability to participate in moderate-intensity exercise,
• require an assistive device for walking,
• any metabolic or systemic diseases that may be exacerbated by exercise

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

N/A

Model

Single group

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Device feasibility

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Biomechanics Research Building, University of Nebraska at Omaha — Omaha

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07393971 · 0587-25-FB · 55136

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗