Wearable hip and ankle robots to help walking after stroke
Personalized Hip vs Ankle Exoskeleton Assistance with Biofeedback to Enhance Mobility Post-Stroke
This project uses personalized hip and ankle wearable robots with biofeedback to help people who have had a stroke walk better and get out in the community.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11262834 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will fit lightweight wearable robots to your hip or ankle and tailor the assistance to how you walk. They will compare whether hip-focused or ankle-focused support gives bigger improvements in walking speed and balance. The team will add real-time biofeedback so you can learn to sync your steps with the device and track changes in walking ability. Sessions and measurements will take place at Georgia Tech across multiple visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had a stroke and still have trouble walking but can walk at least short distances (with or without a cane or walker) are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People who cannot walk at all, have unstable medical conditions, or have severe cognitive or communication impairments that prevent following instructions may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help stroke survivors walk faster, farther, and participate more in daily life.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier small studies of ankle or hip exoskeletons show promise for improving post-stroke walking, but combining individualized assistance with biofeedback is a newer approach that has not been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Young, Aaron John — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Young, Aaron John
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.