Robotic Assessment of Lower Extremity Motor Learning

Healthy Subjects Clinical Trial

Official title: Robotic Assessment of Lower Extremity Motor Learning

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of the study is to assess the ability of healthy subjects to generate a motor adaptation in response to a mechanical perturbation generated by a robotic system for treadmill-based gait training (Lokomat by Hocoma AG, a device that received 510K FDA clearance).

Clinical Trial Description

The study is divided into two phases.

In phase I of the study, we intend to assess the response of individuals to a variety of different mechanical perturbations generated by a robotic system for treadmill-based gait training (Lokomat by Hocoma AG). Such response is quantified as a displacement from the baseline (i.e. gait cycles with no mechanical perturbation) trajectory of motion of the foot during the swing phase of the gait cycle. This portion of the study is expected to allow us to identify mechanical perturbations that are suitable to study motor adaptation.

In phase II of the study, we plan to carry out experiments using the above-mentioned robotic system to assess the magnitude of the motor adaptation to the mechanical perturbations identified in phase I as suitable for the study. The magnitude of the motor adaptation is quantified as the percentage of the deviation from the baseline trajectory of motion of the foot that subjects compensate for when exposed to the perturbation during multiple consecutive gait cycles.

It is worth noticing that the robotic system utilized to generate the mechanical perturbations (i.e. Lokomat by Hocoma AG) is not programmed by the company to generate the mechanical perturbations evaluated in this project. Our research group wrote the programs to generate such perturbations. It is also worth emphasizing that the 510K FDA clearance does not cover the modifications implemented by our research group. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Healthy Subjects

• NCT number: NCT01361867
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 2009
• Completion date: June 2015