NCT07616167Not yet recruiting
This Study Evaluates the Use of a Data-driven Lower Limb Exoskeleton Controller for Stroke Rehabilitation.
From Stroke Rehabilitation to Independence: An Impairment-Aware Control Framework for Adaptive Exoskeleton Assistance
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 1 Jun 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The goal of this clinical trial is to test a new, impairment-aware robotic control software framework to see if its smart adaptation can improve walking recovery in healthy adults and chronic stroke survivors. . The main questions it aims to answer are: Can the new control software safely use sensors and machine learning to predict and instantly adapt to a user's specific walking needs? Does training with a robotic device driven by this new adaptive control framework improve walking speed and overall mobility in stroke survivors? Researchers will compare a lower-limb orthosis operating under the new "smart" control software (which adapts to the user's impairment) to the same device operating under a standard, non-adaptive controller (which uses rigid or fixed assistance) to see if the new control approach leads to greater improvements in walking ability. Participants will: Walk on treadmills, flat walkways, or stairs while wearing a robotic leg orthosis driven by the different control software systems being tested. Wear small tracking tools (like reflective motion-capture markers and muscle activity sensors) so researchers can precisely measure how their movements interact with each control program. Complete standard walking tests to measure their walking speed and overall mobility under each software condition.
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 20 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 19 May 2026
- Start date
- 1 Oct 2026
- Primary completion date
- 31 Dec 2027
- Lead sponsor
- University of Michigan
- Diseases
- Stroke
- NCT number
- NCT07616167
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 20
- From 1 Oct 2026 to the primary completion date, 31 Dec 2027
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- Co-existing neurological conditions (other than stroke) that independently impair locomotion (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis).
- Severe lower-limb joint contractures or orthopedic conditions that mechanically restrict the safe range of motion of the robotic orthosis.
- Any medical contraindication to intensive walking exercise or treadmill training (e.g., unstable angina, severe unmanaged cardiovascular disease).
Other
- Severe cognitive or communication impairments that prevent the participant from following safety instructions or reporting discomfort.
- Skin breakdowns, open wounds, or severe unhealed lesions at the contact points where the powered orthosis interfaces with the lower limbs.
Who the study is looking for
- Cohort 1: Able-Bodied Participants (Initial Validation)
- Healthy young adults.
- No history of neurological, orthopedic, or cardiovascular impairments affecting gait or balance.
- Able to walk independently without assistive devices.
- Cohort 2: Stroke Survivors (Clinical Efficacy Pilot)
- Individuals with a documented history of chronic stroke.
- Persistent unilateral lower-limb motor impairment resulting in a pathological gait pattern (heterogeneous gait deficits).
- Stable medical condition allowing for participation in intensive physical rehabilitation tasks.
- Able to provide informed consent.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 80 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Laboratory in the Ford Robotics Building on the University of Michigan North Campus Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Ann Arbor | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.