Clinical Research Directory

The Potential of Robotic-Assisted Gait Training in a Rehabilitation Setting

Robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) devices, such as the Lokomat®, are commonly used to support gait rehabilitation by enabling repetitive, task-specific walking movements. The functional proprioceptive stimulation (FPS) device Vibramoov® represents a novel technology designed to stimulate proprioceptors at the muscle-tendon junction through targeted vibratory stimuli, thereby activating sensorimotor centers in the brain and potentially facilitating movement execution. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate whether Lokomat® training combined with Vibramoov® leads to greater improvements in qualitative and quantitative gait parameters in stroke patients compared with Lokomat® training alone. The study will be conducted at the Gröbming Rehabilitation Center and will include patients undergoing a four-week neurological inpatient rehabilitation program. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group (Lokomat® + Vibramoov®) or a control group (Lokomat® only), with 20 patients per group. Primary outcomes include the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Additional assessments include functional scores, patient-reported outcome measures, and blood biomarkers. Statistical analyses will be performed depending on data distribution. A follow-up assessment evaluating EQ-5D and PHQ-4 will be conducted six months after completion of the rehabilitation program.

Biofeedback Based System to Enhance Robotic Assisted Gait Training in Children With Cerebral Palsy

The AID2GAIT project aims to develop a biofeedback system with the aim of improving the outcomes of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in pediatric patients with cerebral palsy. The physiological signals of children during RAGT therapy sessions, acquired through non-invasive technologies, will be analyzed. These technologies specifically are: * wearable technology (smartwatch), from which the HRV (Heart Rate Variability) signal will be measured; * infrared thermography, from which the temperature in salient facial regions will be obtained; * fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy), from which information on brain activity and its changes over time will be obtained. Information on the kinematics of the exoskeleton used during RAGT will be extracted. The RAGT will be performed using the Lokomat orthosis (Hocoma), the most widely used exoskeleton in rehabilitation that facilitates a bilaterally symmetrical gait, as the individual actively tries to advance each limb during walking, combined with a patented dynamic body weight support system.