Wearable leg exoskeleton to help people with Parkinson's walk more safely
Official title: Feasibility and Safety of a Portable Exoskeleton to Improve Mobility in Parkinson’s Disease
Funded at VA Veterans Administration Hospital · NIH-11400847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I21RX004387-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
VA Veterans Administration Hospital
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lehosit, Jessica Bengier — VA Veterans Administration Hospital
- Study coordinator: Lehosit, Jessica Bengier
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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.