Assistive Technology Research

KEY FINDING: Significant improvement was observed in terms of satisfaction (QUEST; P = 0.009) after receiving the wheelchair and the foam cushion (QUEST; P = 0.004).

KEY FINDING: A major barrier is the high rate of adverse events like skin issues and falls, along with device malfunctions.

KEY FINDING: The ABLE Exoskeleton is safe and feasible for gait training in SCI patients. Few device-related adverse events were reported, mainly mild skin lesions and pain.

KEY FINDING: The stimulation pattern derived from the SCI subject’s force output produced 14% more power than the EMG-derived stimulation pattern.

KEY FINDING: SCI group performing VR showed no significant difference in parasympathetic activation and global variability between sitting and standing positions.

KEY FINDING: Users generally reported positive satisfaction with overground exoskeletons in terms of safety, efficacy, and comfort.

KEY FINDING: Patients showed significant improvements in overground walking speed, endurance, and the time required for the Timed-Up-And-Go test after HAL® training.

KEY FINDING: Participants were able to complete both the JTHFT and TRIHFT and in some cases, showed improvement with the exoskeleton compared to without the exoskeleton.

KEY FINDING: Significant improvements were observed in muscle strength, balance (Berg Balance Scale), and gait function (Functional Ambulation Category) after overground RAGT.

KEY FINDING: The study found no significant differences in the time spent to fully open/close the hand exoskeleton and the gripper of the robotic external manipulator through the EEG interface normalized to ERD duration.