Assistive Technology Research

KEY FINDING: Improved ISNC-SCI motor scores were observed in some participants with chronic SCI, potentially attributable to the iCycle training.

KEY FINDING: Unexpected shutdown of exoskeleton can cause misalignment and fractures. The first case involved a woman whose exoskeleton shut down unexpectedly, leading to a fracture due to misalignment of joints.

KEY FINDING: Gait speed improved in the timed up-and-go test after 6 weeks of training with the powered exoskeleton.

KEY FINDING: Both the DBWS and SOC groups showed significant improvement in total FIM scores at discharge compared to admission.

KEY FINDING: Participants experienced largely positive emotions, such as empowerment and increased self-esteem, related to standing and walking with the exoskeleton, but none would trade it for their wheelchair.

KEY FINDING: Robotic hip exoskeletons show promise in gait rehabilitation by assisting individuals with hip disabilities through controllable assistance at the hip joints.

KEY FINDING: TruST accurately defines and expands the active seated workspace of people with SCI. This expansion occurs during volitional trunk movements.

KEY FINDING: Automatic tuning (AT) reached stable assistance levels faster than manual tuning (MT).

KEY FINDING: After 24 sessions (12 weeks) of EAW swing assistance decreased from 100% to 35% in a person with C7 complete SCI.

KEY FINDING: All three arm weight compensation methods reduced the mean EMG activity of healthy subjects compared with the no compensation reference.