Research

Robotics

We create robotic devices that improve movement, from the gait of children with cerebral palsy to reaching and grasping movements of stroke survivors.

The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Upper-Extremity Training in a Virtual Environment in Chronic Stroke Survivors

Stroke is a major cause of disability.  There are approximately 730,300 new cases in the United States annually.  Limited motor recovery in the paretic upper limb accounts for a large proportion of the disabling sequelae. Only about 15% of those with initial complete upper-limb paralysis after stroke recover functional use of their impaired arm in [...]

Modulation of Lower-Extremity Motor Adaptations via Electrical Stimulation of Proprioceptors

The overall objective of this study is to test whether the use of small electrical currents to stimulate proprioceptors of the lower limbs can enhance the ability of subjects to modify the way they move their legs in response to forces exerted on the legs by a robot. In this context, modifications of movement patterns [...]

Usability of a Lower-Limb Exoskeleton in Children and Young Adults with and without Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of disability in childhood. About three out of every 1000 8-year-olds in four states in the United States has CP.  Cerebral Palsy commonly causes motor disorders and problems with walking. The goal of this study is to test the usability of a new robotic lower-limb exoskeleton called [...]

Assessing the eLEGS Powered Exoskeleton for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

The eLEGS powered exoskeleton is a device that helps those who have complete or incomplete weakness of both legs after a spinal cord injury, to walk over the ground, to stand and to sit. Ekso Bionics (formerly Berkeley Bionics) has developed this device for use in the rehabilitation setting. The purpose of this study is [...]

Pelvic Obliquity Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients Using Robotically-Generated Force Fields

Many stroke survivors demonstrate a characteristic posture during quiet standing and those who walk demonstrate abnormal gait patterns associated with gait instability. These abnormalities need to be corrected via gait retraining. This study tests the usability and effectiveness of the Robotic Gait Rehabilitation Trainer in both healthy patients with no gait impairment and those with [...]