Adaptive ankle exoskeleton controller to personalize walking support
Official title: Controller Development to Enable Individualized Assistance in Robotic Ankle Exoskeletons
Run by University of Nebraska · NCT07393971 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will test a real-time controller for a robotic ankle exoskeleton that learns how you walk and adds the right amount of help to make walking easier.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 19 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 6 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Nebraska Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Omaha, Nebraska) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 15, 2026 |
| Main results expected | August 2028 |
| Study ends | December 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07393971 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy young adults who can walk independently on a treadmill for at least 10 minutes and can wear an exoskeleton with safety gear.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals who have neurological or cardiovascular conditions or current lower-extremity injuries may not benefit and are excluded.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This project develops and tests a real-time adaptive controller for a bilateral ankle exoskeleton that personalizes assistance to each user. The system uses human-in-the-loop optimization and musculoskeletal modeling to adjust torque magnitude and timing to minimize metabolic cost and improve muscle activation during walking. The goal is to provide faster, more natural, and more efficient walking by tailoring support to individual gait patterns. The study is conducted with healthy young adults to evaluate performance and safety of the Biomotum device. If successful, the approach could inform future wearable robotics that adapt to users in real time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the controller could make walking with an ankle exoskeleton feel easier and more efficient for users.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work with wearable exoskeletons and human-in-the-loop optimization has shown promise in adapting assistance to individuals, supporting the potential effectiveness of this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * able to walk independently on a treadmill for 10 minutes, * free of neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary, or musculoskeletal conditions that limit walking and exercising, * no current lower extremity pain or injury, * able to wear an exoskeleton and safety harness, can provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * history of neurological disease that affected gait or balance, * current or recent lower extremity musculoskeletal injury or surgery, * chronic lower extremity pain during walking, * inability to participate in moderate-intensity exercise, * require an assistive device for walking, * any metabolic or systemic diseases that may be exacerbated by exercise
Where it's running
-
Biomechanics Research Building, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Farah Fallahtafti, PhD — Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Study coordinator: Farah Fallahtafi, PhD
- Email: ffallahtafti@unomaha.edu
- Phone: 4025543075
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Does Paracetamol Change Gut Hormones, Glucose Absorption, and Blood Sugar in Healthy Young Adults
This study tests whether taking paracetamol can influence gut hormone release and how the body absorbs glucose in healthy young adults.
-
Satiety After Eating Okra Flour Biscuits
This study tests whether biscuits made with mature okra flour help young adults feel fuller and affect blood markers compared with standard biscuits.
-
FluMist versus injected flu shot: immune responses in the nose and lungs of young adults
This trial will see if the FluMist nasal vaccine causes different immune responses in the blood, nose, and lungs than the standard injected flu shot in healthy adults aged 18 to 40.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.