Wearable leg exoskeleton to help people with Parkinson's walk more safely
Feasibility and Safety of a Portable Exoskeleton to Improve Mobility in Parkinson’s Disease
This tests whether a lightweight wearable exoskeleton called Keeogo can help people with Parkinson's disease walk better and reduce falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Veterans Administration Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11400847 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would wear a lightweight, portable exoskeleton (the Keeogo) during supervised walking sessions at the Richmond VA. The team will focus first on safety and then collect simple walking tests, fall-related measures, and comfort/usability feedback. Volunteers will include people with Parkinson's across H&Y stages II through V, confirmed by a movement-disorder specialist. The goal is to see if the device is safe, usable, and shows signs of helping gait and reducing falls before larger trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Parkinson's disease confirmed by a PADRECC movement-disorder specialist who are in Modified Hoehn & Yahr stages II–V and can travel to the Richmond VA site.
Not a fit: People without Parkinson's, those in very early stage I disease, or those with medical issues that prevent safe use of a wearable exoskeleton are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help people with Parkinson's walk more safely, reduce falls, and increase daily independence.
How similar studies have performed: Robotic-assisted gait training has helped people with other neurologic injuries, but use of portable exoskeletons specifically in Parkinson's disease is still preliminary.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- VA Veterans Administration Hospital — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lehosit, Jessica Bengier — VA Veterans Administration Hospital
- Study coordinator: Lehosit, Jessica Bengier
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.