Abstract
Background
Few
portable exoskeletons following the assist-as-needed concept have been
developed for patients with neurological disorders. Thus, the main
objectives of this proof-of-concept study were 1) to explore the safety
and feasibility of an exoskeleton for gait rehabilitation in stroke and
multiple sclerosis patients, 2) to test different algorithms for gait
assistance and measure the resulting gait changes and 3) to evaluate the
user’s perception of the device.
Methods
A
cross-sectional study was conducted. Five patients were recruited (4
patients with stroke and 1 with multiple sclerosis). A robotic,
one-degree-of-freedom, portable lower limb exoskeleton known as the
Marsi Active Knee (MAK) was designed. Three control modes (the Zero
Force Control mode, Mode 1 and Mode 3) were implemented. Spatiotemporal
gait parameters were measured by the 10-m walking test (10MWT), the Gait
Assessment and Intervention Tool (G.A.I.T.) and Tinetti Performance
Oriented Mobility Assessment (gait subscale) before and after the
trials. A modified QUEST 2.0 questionnaire was administered to determine
each participant’s opinion about the exoskeleton. The data acquired by
the MAK sensors were normalized to a gait cycle, and adverse effects
were recorded.
Results
The
MAK exoskeleton was used successfully without any adverse effects.
Better outcomes were obtained in the 10MWT and G.A.I.T. when Mode 3 was
applied compared with not wearing the device at all. In 2 participants,
Mode 3 worsened the results. Additionally, Mode 3 seemed to improve the
10MWT and G.A.I.T. outcomes to a greater extent than Mode 1. The overall
score for the user perception of the device was 2.8 ± 0.4 95% CI.
Conclusions
The
MAK exoskeleton seems to afford positive preliminary results regarding
safety, feasibility, and user acceptance. The efficacy of the MAK should
be studied in future studies, and more advanced improvements in safety
must be implemented.
No comments:
Post a Comment