Assistive Technology Research

KEY FINDING: Statistical analysis showed favorable results for balance measured by the modified Functional Reach Test (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 3.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.54 to 4.29) and by the t-shirt test (SMD= −2.29; 95% confidence interval: −3.00 to −1.59).

KEY FINDING: Participants found robotic exoskeletons useful in therapy but impractical for daily living due to device limitations such as fatigue and lack of independent use.

KEY FINDING: Wheelchair robot with leg exoskeletons and sensor fusion shows promise for leg muscle exercise.

KEY FINDING: Participants primarily used the exoskeleton for individual exercise (74% of sessions) and social interaction (20%).

KEY FINDING: Activity-based training with the Myosuit appears to be safe, feasible, and well-tolerated by individuals with diverse motor disorders.

KEY FINDING: Participants in the DBWS group achieved significantly higher gains in sphincter control compared to the standard-of-care group.

KEY FINDING: The Active FES system effectively extracts voluntary EMG from muscles under FES using an adaptive filtering technique, outperforming the classic comb filtering method.

KEY FINDING: AT use enables participation in various occupations, enhancing health experiences and independence, but opportunities remain limited due to environmental and societal barriers.

KEY FINDING: The gait planning algorithm effectively processes sensory information to determine suitable landing points for balanced walking.

KEY FINDING: Friction compensation reduced metabolic consumption while walking in the exoskeleton.