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Exploring the Effect of the Hypershell Hip Exoskeleton on Fatiguing, Everyday Activities in Older Adults
Sponsor: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how wearing the Hypershell lower-limb exoskeleton affects perceived fatigue during everyday mobility activities in adults aged 65 years and older. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does active assistance from the Hypershell reduce the development of perceived fatigue during repeated everyday mobility tasks? * Does wearing the Hypershell affect how long participants can perform the protocol and how many tasks they can complete before reaching a high level of fatigue? * How do participants perceive the usability, comfort, and overall experience of using the Hypershell? * What are the biomechanical and physiological responses from wearing the Hypershell? Researchers will compare two conditions: performing the mobility protocol without the Hypershell and wearing the Hypershell with active assistance. Participants will: * Attend one baseline session including questionnaires, physical tests, and familiarization with the Hypershell and study procedures. * Attend two experimental sessions in a randomized order, with at least one week between sessions. * Complete a laboratory-based mobility protocol including daily activities such as standing up from a chair, walking, stair climbing, slope walking, walking on uneven surfaces, carrying an object, and performing a cognitive task while walking. * Report their perceived fatigue throughout the protocol using the Borg CR10 scale. * Wear non-invasive sensors that measure physiological responses and movement during the experimental sessions. * Provide feedback about their experience using the HyperShell.
Official title: Exploring the Effect of a Hypershell Lower-limb Exoskeleton on Fatiguing, Everyday Activities
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
20
Start Date
2026-10
Completion Date
2027-06
Last Updated
2026-09-25
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Performance test
Participants will perform the FATIG'AGE multi-task functional mobility protocol. The protocol includes a fixed sequence of daily activities such as walking, sit-to-stand transitions, stair ascent and descent, slope walking, walking on uneven surfaces, carrying an object, and dual-task walking.
Hypershell assistance (EXO-ON Actuation)
Participants wear the Hypershell hip exoskeleton with active assistance. In the active-assistance condition, the device uses motion sensors to detect the user's movements and provides powered assistance to support hip movement during functional mobility tasks
Locations (1)
Brubotics Rehabilitation Research Center
Brussels, Belgium